tommyg Reviews

Angels & Demons (2009)

The movie went nowhere

[6/10 · 16 May 2009]

I was not quite mad for paying Senior Citizen rates, but I was disappointed that the film went nowhere that was innovative or creative or whatever.

That button was never pressed in my brain.

This movie was made for a person who has never attended a movie showing either on DVD or in a movie theater.

I was grabbed by title.

The titled did not deliver.

Do not pay admission for a viewing. Wait for the DVD rental for one dollar

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Perfect Story Telling

[10/10 · 18 November 2007]

Start to finish, this film was well crafted in its telling of a story. I knew little about the film or its creators, and that was to my betterment in enjoyment.

It was like reading a book rather than viewing a movie.

It was only when viewing the credits that I learned its history of who, where, and when in its production.

To my surprise, the screening theater was almost filled with a mix of ages from senior citizens to younger avid movie goers.

And most of us stayed to read the scrolling credits before exiting the movie house.

Stardust (2007)

Very Slow Development

[7/10 · 12 August 2007]

This film was ultimately enjoyable, but it took the first half of disjointed stuff to arrive into a smooth movement.

Robert De Niro definitely saved the movie as his character developed and nailed substance to this otherwise mis-directed film.

I will rent the film on DVD and cut and paste De Niro into a twenty minute enjoyment as an artistic remake of an otherwise long film

The De Niro character erased any other of the actor's attempt to get an Oscar.

In essence, a boring film was vaulted into a classic gay movie. Thank Godd for Hollywood!!!

Hair High (2004)

Japanese Anime Fusion

[8/10 · 19 April 2007]

I viewed HIGH HAIR today in Los Angeles -- perhaps three years after it was originally screened. Comments on IMDb said it was a retro 50's style high school story line which drew my attention.

I am a child of such an era having graduated in 1959 (at the cusp of the next decade of the 50's) from high school.

I entered the theater with an invited friend. I was a bit anxious whether my experience would be the same as another person's opinion as we left the screening and talked.

We both had the same movie experience: It took about 20 minutes to get into it and at one moment in time, there was a hook that carried the film into its conclusion and enjoyment. I suppose this is a cult film, but it works well with those who were in high school in the era of the film despite the fact that this was not my own experience.

My enjoyment was the fusion of Japanese anime into contemporary American animation as a borrowed skill with a true technique honed by Bill Plimpton.

He pulled it off without a finger print of evidence that would tie him to such a cinematic crime of imitating Japanese Anime and not his own invention.

It worked. Just fine. Pure fusion.

The Science of Sleep (2006)

Salvaged by the last five minutes

[5/10 · 8 October 2006]

Not having read anything about this film due to other distractions in normal life, I waited and waited to get a hook into its meat and haul it in as a trophy catch. Well, that did not happen for me despite the fact that I now learned that it is an artistic film (or perhaps autistic if I correctly interpret current reviews?). I did understand my observations and absorptions that nothing was potentially true, or perhaps something was true in the floating in and out of dreams, animation and other such creativity notions. Finally, as the film ended, I got the connection that I suspected: this guy Stephane has a gigantic mental problem in which he has no control over his life other than during sleeping. I assume there is a medical name for such aberrant human behavior. Maybe autistic is the quick answer -- in which case I feel nothing more closer nor more distant in that medical malady.

Churning the Sea of Time: A Journey Up the Mekong to Angkor (2006)

GREAT Digital FILM

[10/10 · 5 September 2006]

Having traveled to Thailand with a side trip to Cambodia a few years ago, I found this documentary an excellent supplement to my own memories to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. I did enough reading in the travel guides to get a sense of history within the area, yet the documentary brought it all together in a better perspective in a non-political manner. It was about history, culture, and architecture of Southeast Asia that appropriately fits the goals of the WORLD MONUMENTS FUNDS projects. I did not realize at that time that these restorative projects around Siem Reap were not that old -- often less than a decade. So, in some sense, I am a part of current history and its documentation with my own camera.

I back peddled recent history (i.e. not boxed by my life at sixty-four and but expanding the time span a bit earlier) of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos and find the meddling of Europeans and United States as not something to be too proud about. I remember seeing signs at different restorative sites with FUNDED BY....France....Germany....etc. What was missing was the United States of America.

But, that is another story and another movie. And another history that will repeat and repeat itself.

A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

It is about death in America

[8/10 · 7 July 2006]

I agree that this film is about death. Its focus transcends the death of single person or single art or artifacts -- it melds all those into a delightful film. It is about a local railroad car diner as well as a local theater where a radio program is aired. Both of these physical structures in American history are seen as something of the past, something dying and not in synchronization with modernity. It is about memory holding onto the past while Corporate America or entrepreneurial moguls seek a piece of real estate or personal estate to grab something in the name of progress and growth.

Given that opinion and synopsis, and as a periodic listener of Prairie Home Companion on Saturday or Sunday PST, I had fun. The casting was great.

The angel of death moved within the background and influenced some interesting decisions in outcomes in unknown results. In the meantime, we see real people dealing with real problems.

Capote (2005)

Cold Blood Runs Through It

[10/10 · 25 February 2006]

When Truman Capote announces to his publisher that he has the title for his evolving book -- and its evolving format that would change forever how books are written -- an overarching theme is established that plays itself out in this screenplay writing. That theme: there are lots of cold blooded decisions that are made by lots of otherwise simple, nice folks in order to get a bit ahead of the game of navigating and manipulating life as it progresses day by day.

We saw it in Capote, we saw it in the murderers, we saw it in the book publisher, we saw it the sheriff, we saw it in the jail system, and we saw it on how the state executes an execution and how the priest administers the last prayer before the execution without feeling or guilt.

In Cold Blood. We all walk away from our own acts of violence however small, and simply justify them because it is only our job for which we get paid in a system that is bigger than any of the players.

That is what I observed and carried way after watching CAPOTE yesterday.

Viewing this film was a wonderful experience while AMPAS simmers in the background to make a decision in a week or so to judge a bumper crop of great films in all categories.

I can hardly wait for: ENVELOPE PLEASE!

Transamerica (2005)

A Snapshot of America

[10/10 · 30 January 2006]

I loved this film.

Its focus can be simply about America and its culture, family life both good and bad.

Along that path are difficulties in our decisions.

Those decisions are made by our surroundings and how we interact.

In the USA, we are confronted with immigrants, mixed religious and ethnic marriages, being poor, being rich, surviving, not surviving, dealing with sex or its absence, how we make money, how we lose money, and how we get from A to B before the Z takes us away.

Decisions are made along that whole trans-USAmerican journey. We often never tell the whole truth in things that we adulterate or simply hide from others.

But, telling and living the truth is one's only salvation.

The Producers (2005)

A Film that Does not Bruse nor Abuse its past

[10/10 · 28 December 2005]

A few weeks ago, I flipped the CALENDAR pages of the Los Angeles Times and noticed that THE PRODUCERS would once again hit the streets. Having seen the original film (and its current DVD release) and a revived theater presentation at The Pantages in Hollwood in 2003, well...I was not interested to disturb my enjoyment of the past with a potential disappointment.

Later (this week) I gave the option to a friend to pick a film for a Wednesday matinée. He would not tell me the film title nor did he know that I had no desire to see THE PRODUCERS.

Well, we arrived at the theater. I was disappointed in his selection, yet I would weather the storm. That is what friends do for friends.

For the first half hour or less, I was very pessimistic as I parsed this and from what I remembered (or probably forgot). But, soon that antagonism became vapor. I was slowly releasing myself to the fact that I was watching and intimately involved in a fantastic stage production on the screen.

I was soon extremely involved, and started clapping after each song or dance. Yes, there were a few of us in this timid Asian community of San Gabriel, CA who broke the rules. We applaud the songs. We could no longer hold back our pleasures and emotions.

Yes, this was much like a live and alive stage production.

It must be seen on widescreen, of course.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

I Must Now Read The C. S. Lewis Books

[8/10 · 10 December 2005]

I totally enjoyed this film, particularly since I knew very little about it. The splashy ad in the newspaper gave me the impression that it was more of a cartoon than its highly developed graphics animation with tight script and direction.

The best of what could be said has already been accurately written by others. What I walked away with was desire to know more about C. S. Lewis along his other books and writings.

There was a wonderful mixing of Western religious dogma, spiritualism, witchcraft and perhaps a tinge of voodoo or whatever. Perhaps there was a hint of at least one portal somewhere that connects other universes or realms that co-exist with our own -- the one that Adam and Eve acquired. Quite contemporary concepts, for sure.

Lewis' creative writing definitely fits well in uniting into one platform the debate between Darwin and Intelligent Design theories. Combine those two, and we get "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (2005). I mean there were enough variant animals and critters in this film to temper the flotation Noah's Ark.

And we don't have to even ponder about these four children of Adam and Eve and how they would select their life-partners -- presuming they cannot mate with those on the other side due to genetic differences. After all, they have only six Hobson's choices between Peter (P), Edmund (E), Lucy (L) and Susan (S): L+E, L+P,P+E and S+L, P+E. Any of those are within the Combo Darwin and Intelligent Design offerings.

Just a thought about a great cinematic experience.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Lost In the dust

[31 December 2004]

I am truly on the fringe in even posting my reaction to this film since my reaction, enjoyment and assessment is in the one percent. I have read every review after my viewing and they all say the same words, as if they all got a handout before a screening and were nudged closer to the grander thoughts of Eastwood.

Yes, I missed something in this minimalist script with minimalist direction with minimalist emotions in a minimalist development.

I guess it was simply not my movie. We all have those experiences, I assume.

The most distracting character was Danger Barch – that clown that other training boxers would want to kill and take out. Danger's presence not make sense either on the front side of the story or his later resurrection with some sort of immaculate redemption in having seen God and awarded a new nose without scars in the surrounding facial tissue. No emotion in my viewing.

Morgan Freeman was simply Morgan Freeman. That is what he is good with and comfortable. No emotion in my viewing.

Maggie Fitzgerald came on with a strong Texan drawl or whatever that did not fit the character and which soon disappeared. And we never know the comfort she gets from Southern boxing and taking out other females on the canvas. Did she hit a guy first and got her rocks off? Or was it a female that she jabbed and got a jolt of estrogen? Did she pounce on her mother? No clue. I was clueless once again.

What did I miss? There are two parts what were good: (1) the fighting mano a mano (okay, I admit that I do no know the female equivalent in that male expression) with the ladies. (2) the moment upon delivering a house to the mother and family. At that moment, we know something about the family but not Maggie since there was conflict undisclosed. Two strong points in the movie. Later encounters with the family at the hospital were just stupid and predictable with poor acting messing it all up.

What did I miss? Okay, now Maggie is in the hospital with some sort of spinal injury that requires assisted respiratory breathing tubes. Air is forced in the lungs and air is drawn out of the lungs where her normal breathing and speaking were bypassed. The machine pumped air in and the machine pulled air out.

At no time during the visit of Frankie Dunn was Maggie's breath in talking disrupted between the mechanical uptake and outlet of air. She spoke perfect tomes to Frankie. Hey, just try talking while inhaling and exhaling --- you can to it!!! And your voice changes!!! Okay.

How was Frankie Dunn able to get into a hospital late at night from an outside, unlocked door that leads directly to an Intensive Care unit??? We are now at the end of the film and at the Intensive or Critical Care unit. An attendant at the end of the hallway is going on a coffee break and all we see he her announcing here intent at a typical hospital counter in a small view setting.

The attendant leaves and that is when Frankie pulls the plug on a Critical Care patient. We see the monitors slowly beeping into existence as we assume the same for Maggie. Blank. The patient-side monitors are dead as is Maggie.

Now one must wonder at this point: is patient monitoring in Critical Care for the benefit of the patient to listen to the bleeps and blips of sounds? Or are those signals sent to a Critical Care central point where the coffee going nurse turned over monitoring responsibility to the unknown skilled care nurse beyond our view? Frankie walks down that long, dark hallway and exits a door that is open 7-24 at this hospital that holds about 20 other patients. Anybody can walk in that door and the hospital staff does not care.

If Hilary Swank died that night in an unattended manner, what happened to those other 20 patients in need of care? Hmmmm……very stupid stuff.

Or, perhaps this film was mapping at a local hospital in Los Angeles that is controversial at this moment. It is the King/Drew hospital in which the Los Angeles Times newspaper a few weeks ago exposed a setting that perhaps was presaged by Clint Eastwood hospital health care incompetence.

But I doubt that his film was about King/Drew. Yet that is my closest interpretation of being lost in the dust.

Chinatown (1974)

Great After Three Decades

[10/10 · 3 October 2004]

I just experienced my first screening of Chinatown in the same town that was featured in a portion of the action: San Pedro, CA and not that far from Chinatown Los Angeles.

I was totally captured and raptured in this belated viewing.

A week ago, I viewed John Sayles "Silver City" and it seems that little has changed when one tells a story of local political corruption and payoffs by folks who move real estate and corporate sales in the name of progress -- with the taxpayer billed for progress through tax assessments on their salaries and property.

Both Silver City and Chinatown are great films.

Being a resident of the Los Angeles metropolitan area from birth to schooling through a few professional careers, it is great entertainment to experience scenery and events that I have lived.

Depuis qu'Otar est parti... (2003)

Fantastic Cinematic Control

[9/10 · 24 May 2004]

If this is, indeed, Julie Bertucelli's first movie as Director, then I am truly impressed. From the very first scenes, I was ruptured by the resourcefulness and simplicity in the powerful storytelling and movement of the film. In fact, the film was a study in cinematography in which the film itself is almost an art form. The combination of simple scenes with audio transition overlays gave the viewer a broader sense of things happening -- even if by suggestion and without undue visual distraction.

I found myself admiring the camera's creative photography (i.e. Director's eye) along with a layer of audio collages which surround the actors in their own roles and environment. I was as if I were taking in three art forms at once.

This film would surely work well as a "study" by any budding film school enthusiastic -- particularly if the budget is lean and cast is skillful.

The Singing Detective (2003)

Director Dropped The Ball

[5/10 · 15 November 2003]

Well, this is a picture that gets both raves and expressions of disappointment. I am in the disappointment group.

My viewing friend loved it, but once I expressed my sense of where the movie lost my confidence in its cinematic direction, well, he agreed that my point was correct. This point was about 80% down the path in which I could not accept a short scene -- one that broke ranks -- that left me disappointed while accepting the pieces at both ends from that nexus.

My disappointment is in the small scene in the hospital in which the relationship between Dr. Gibbon and Dan Dark leaps into comedy rather than maintaining the serious connection between patient and doctor in dealing with issues of health and their causes in trauma in one's past. There are two minutes of so that should have found the floor of the film editors laboratory.

Patients should not dance with their psychiatrists. The stronger message in the film is the transition from illness to health. Otherwise, playing out Dark's novel and its characters along this path of cure worked just fine.

Madame Satã (2002)

Compelling and Wild Mosaic of Santos

[7/10 · 27 August 2003]

I felt a gap between the movie itself, and the closing credits in which later history about the Madam Sata character is narrated along with film clips of Rio Carnival. That gap is a jagged edge for me, and yet I cannot propose a smoother ending or smoother inclusion of the personality of Madam Sata into the main.

Other than that comment, I was caught into the excellent casting, direction and editing. The documentary seemed to be somewhat detached in time although we knew the inclusive dates as it covered multiple issues of race, prejudice, anger, bigotry, self-identity -- and all things that are experienced or tested by humans in sexual drive and satisfaction.

It is in the latter that we definitely feel the struggle, violence, growth and pride of Joao Francisco dos Santos as a strongly driven heterosexual man that ultimately yields to his comfort in cross-dressing while maintaining a jagged, devoted relationship with Laurita and her/his child.

Wonderful mosaic

Zus & Zo (2001)

Engaging script and competent acting

[9/10 · 20 August 2003]

When I heard about ZUS AND ZO there was something about it that was familiar. Then I read it was a 2002 Foreign Language Film Award nominee. Then I remembered my attendance at the Symposium in March, 2003, at AMPAS (i.e. Academy who plies the Oscars) in which Director Paula van der Oest presented a short clip from the film in turn with four other nominees the day before the big OSCAR event.

I totally enjoyed the film in a discussion and clip screening of four other 2002 nominees.

There were two things I remembered in Director van der Oest's discussion about the movie and the movie's making. The first relates to comments already posted: the acting / direction it is more like a play than a movie. Well, this is true, since the Netherlands does not have an embedded source of film actors. She had to recruit actors from the theatrical pool of talent.

The second thing in memory was: 'remain for all the credits at the end of the film'. Well, I did that and this part -- which I enjoyed - totally shifted my opinion of events much before the closing credits.

The parting scenes at the hospital left me hanging a bit simply because of something not said or even hinted before. Up to this point we know of the prior lover relationship between Nino and Felix - the successful cable / satellite chef who is a charmer as he hashes hash. In Felix I saw a gay man who loves gay men. I did not see in Felix a gay man who loved transsexuals or transgender or cross dresser men. So, I missed something in the story ending when he accepts his ex-boyfriend with a new sex change as his lover and lifetime partner. That was a giant leap of faith. I can only backpedal to think that Nino's problem with his sexual identity was indeed the problem between himself and Felix. And now that Felix is financially and career successful, why would he flip to the other side of the ten sided sexual coin?

Other than that, it is an excellent film, well written and well directed. It was screened in Los Angeles as part of a two-month weekend program at Laemmlie's theaters with the banner AROUND THE WORLD IN SIXTY DAYS in which six foreign films rotate between four theaters.

It is nice to have theaters that screen more than Hollywood cash-cow films!! Of course, the hope is that the milk will get sweeter and the butter richer with more independent and foreign films. Otherwise, life could grow dull.

Washington Heights (2002)

Subsistence Level Story Telling: Excellent

[8/10 · 15 July 2003]

It took a while to get into this film and its movement and its characters, but I got there and was never lost for a moment in a very complex story of many tiers and personalities -- all within a seemingly simple entry-level USA neighborhood.

I assume the movie was whot in 16mm film and/or digitial video, and once again, a low budget does not mean a poor story. The direction and editing worked well in a story where the ensemble cast was homogeneous and perfect.

Excellent. Excellent. Excellent.

Rivers and Tides (2001)

I Was Totally Captured

[10/10 · 26 May 2003]

As a person who sought out an existence as a 'professional' person with income backed by a BS in Chemistry and MS in Business Management, my sanity was always spasmodically sustained in outside indulgences in things more artistic. My post-post graduate classes were always emotionally and spiritually supported by an interest in photography, stained-glass, ceramics, metal forging/welding, and art drawing that also included silk screening.

I also keep healthy with jogging, walking and lately, hiking to remote destinations in California and nearby states like Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Jogging, walking and hiking gets one close to the earth with time to stop and watch and listen and also photograph or record sounds.

Within that background, I was obsessed with RIVERS AND TIDES. I was equally impressed with the documentary content of artist Andy Goldsworthy as well as the skills and smoothness of Director/Cinematographer Thomas Riedelsheimer. I actually could not separate the art of Goldsworthy with camera path of Riedelsheimer.

Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

Down with Love (2003)

Charming: Does not need comparison to Doris Day

[7/10 · 16 May 2003]

It took me a little while to 'get into' this film, particularly after watching 25minutes of advertisements for Los Angeles/National television programming and CocaCola that are attached to my theater ticket purchase and at my cost. But, I increasingly got there to where I 'got into' the film as a retro film of a retro era -- a combo of television (hey, there was a genie lamp on the television set) and cartoon (much like Mr. Magoo music background) and era film.

I did not match 'Pillow Talk' as a predecessor film since that was not what I knew of this film as a remake. But, what I did notice was the absence of cigarette smoking (except for an opening scene where one person dispersed enough cigarettes in an elevator for an entire office for weeks - a courtesy bow to era films when everybody smoked and current anti-smoking notions). Yet, what I did notice was a fluidity of alcohol and gaiety - a flaunting of another sin of era films but without a blush of apology towards the sins of alcohol and the acceptance of gaily as mainstream.

The film was entertaining, and worth matinee prices with free popcorn.

I did not get free popcorn, and did not exercise a free "small drink" option in my frequent film program.

The deep connection I had was with Renée Zellweger and her performance in CHICAGO!!! That simple link made the movie; along with her closing song and dance between other closing credits

Raising Victor Vargas (2002)

Humorous, Honest, and Pure

[9 May 2003]

From the get-go, this wonderfully written story of coming of age is a story of layers – first visually from outside an apartment house where eighteen year old Victor is seen on one level and was supposed to be on another level, then continuing throughout the story telling. Everyone has a secret that gradually gets peeled away in this saga of both budding hormones and retired hormones of decades past. This is a story honesty told with delightful purity and innocence in all involved.

I was continually in awe of both the quality of the writing and the talent of everybody in the cast. Perfect, simply perfect.

Simply put, we follow a brief period in a sultry summer with the Big Apple skyline of NYC in the background. We follow seven teenagers [plus one grandmother-in-charge of her extended teen charge -- a.k.a ‘mom'] who are steaming with excited hormones racing through every artery and vein in their body. The quest: how to get from here to there in a kewl fashion without a roadmap of experience outside of the usual strutting and boasting to one's friends (much in advance of any actual success).

The story is filled with humorous contradictions and symbolism in the presence of the untold secrets and layers – most of which get revealed. There is a pairing off of three of the teen pairs towards some sort of resolution on a path approaching adulthood. A chain locked dial telephone is most symbolic along with a piano. The locking of a phone is ‘mom's method towards enforcing chastity, and the unlocking is the passage of Victor into manhood as a responsible person in his family. Victor's younger brother resumes playing the piano, with his sexual orientation dangling somewhere to be determined at a later date.

Wonderful story and directing.

Manna from Heaven (2002)

Good Training Film for Home Video

[6/10 · 14 April 2003]

Thank Godd that I got passes from my support for a Los Angeles radio station. Otherwise, there would be no evidence of Godd -- at least not in this film. Had to drive way across town for a screening; must pray for cheaper price for gasoline before I do that again.

However, I ended up enjoying the film. It had some unique, pivotal moments in both editing and direction and acting -- but that was all towards the end. The script and editing and continuity struggle for the longest time, almost half the film. But at the time when popcorn is more important, it delivers a morsel to forestall a walk-out.

This is a great film that answers these questions: What ever happened to What's-her-name? Or, whatever happened to What's his name -- is he still alive?

In the above sentence is the ultimate beauty of this film. Not great acting, not great editing, not great continuity, but something that ultimately was a decent presentation that contains warmth of senior citizen actors who for the first half step on each other's (arthritic) toes. Hey, that is okay. They earn that opportunity.

But, ultimately it worked.

There was one scene that two of us observed independently and towards the end of the story. The scene was with Shirley Jones as "Bunny Burns" in a moment of recompense. There, with Jones in a semi close-up, pretty face and bosoms with cleavage. The lighting angle was such in combination with the camera angle, that her not-so-supple cleavage reflected what looked like gray chest hair. At sixty-one years old and male with chest hair, I commented on what I saw and said, "I hope my chest looks that good when I am her age."

When I titled this review as "Good Training Film for Home Video" I imply a positive statement. This as a movie with a limited budget, and used stock film shots and cropped angles and simple office space to move story along a path that is otherwise on-stage scenes. And the extra actors are reprocessed about three times through the film -- and it works!!!! This film is worthy of studying for film novices.

The Quiet American (2002)

Quiet History Repeats Itself

[7/10 · 24 February 2003]

The one nice thing that I like about Michael Caine's acting in this film and others is that I never feel that I am watching Michael Caine but more importantly a good actor in a good role.

The film is good yet I walked away with a sense that it was more of a book read than a film view. There was something absent on at the end yet not necessarily missing, yet still missing. I don't know what I wanted to know.

I praise the use of episodic lighting / brightness / colors and their lack of intensity to set an emphasis in the story segments. I mean, this is a rare cinematic experience to see the dark of night in an eerie countryside setting, and as a viewer I cannot sense what is out there other than in slight movement that is perhaps imaginary. It is absolute dark and dank. That use of lighting was refreshing since I always get p***ed at night scenes lit by mega-candlepower lamps on wet pavement or trees or buildings in the background with typical Hollywood productions.

This is a good movie, but needs another half-hour added. But perhaps, I should just read the book.

Gods and Generals (2003)

Gods with Chaos

[20 February 2003]

This is a film that had the opportunity to provide those of us who learned American History a few decades ago with a reminder of our past and the struggles in being One Nation, Under God.

Well, this was a LONG and CONFUSING film to watch. Two sides – North and South – both of who looked alike in the filming and who prayed to the same God much like current history between America and Iraq and North Korea. It took two hours of viewing until I was glad that the North army held a flag with stripes, and the South had a different flag from the State of Virginia -- otherwise all those guys (and gals) with Teflon beards in differing stages of growth were indeed confusing.

The cinematic direction with its script is a good example of chaos in acting and orating and editing. Everybody had a speech to make with some apparent anchor in history -- even the black maid did pretty good and even looked dynamite in a white woman's dress. I have always said that about anybody.

What was missing in the story was someone, something that represented continuity of strong character and presence that we felt good about (or bad about). This film had thousands of actors -- and the entire retinue has a fair claim to Best Supporting Actor in next year's Academy Awards nominations for the this film since there are no other categories that qualify in the least bit of rationality.

This film made "Gangs of New York" look good. The presence of all those Irish pipers certainly speaks well of Ireland and their tenacity to invade the American Homeland Security.

A friend actually made the comment that everybody had a speech to make, then he add "Except the horses" to which I spend the next five minutes imitating Mr. Ed (of US early television) lecturing General Robert E. Lee on the virtues of animal rights and its impact on the early American economy.

Having said those mild opinions, I really wanted to exit the theater in grand style at the half-way point, like that person one hour earlier who said, "I've had enough!!" But I did not do that. I did not say my version, "I've had enough!!! And apologize for waking y'all all up!"

I truly miss not knowing who won the war. On that Ted Turner messed up. I suppose I must read a book and find out.

Power and Terror: Noam Chomsky in Our Times (2002)

Changing the World

[26 January 2003]

`In Our Times' was an odd experience. I mean, who would have thought that a venture to view a film screening of a college professor giving a college lecture would or could draw a crowd on the celluloid screen?

Well, I went and did that and experienced the genius of Noam Chomsky. I even walked away with some positive thoughts about the future of the United States of America and the global network of nation states. I saw a hope, that maybe there is a nibble of survival of our US society and that of the world, if we all listen and speak out against tremendous odds of failure in directing our own country(s) in its governance -- which we symbolically call democracy.

I felt a very optimistic future that I can be a part of and which can change the workings of the US government and things evil -- that often takes a path of its own and much in the design of a dictatorship that give lip service to its subjects.

This Japanese film was wonderful.

Yet, I cannot rate it on a scale of 1-10.

The future is with the people of the world to make democracy work