kands6191 Reviews

Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press (2017)

Watching it in 2022; would love an update

[3/10 · 14 September 2022]

I agree with most of the negative reviews here. I can't help wishing there could be a 2022 update. Every negative aspect they discussed about Trump's presidency has been done by the Biden presidency. Many in the media have since been shown to have extreme left-leaning biases and to have participated in burying true but negative stories at the request of Biden and his supporters which includes the Dept of Justice. Most of the negative accusations that were repeated ad nauseum in the press about Trump have been shown to be false.

We don't want press with an agenda. We just want the facts and then let us figure out how we feel about the facts. Let us read your Opinion page if we want help deciphering the news - but don't make EVERY page the Opinion page like you do now (while trying to pretend you are noble journalists).

Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream (2012)

One-sided, therefore not a true documentary

[2/10 · 18 August 2020]

It begins with a rather interesting focus on a New York residence building that has more billionaires than any other. It goes downhill with its almost single-minded focus on blaming the Republicans for all the sins of the evil rich in the U.S. It gives great detail on how the Koch brothers use their money to influence politicians but you could easily replace Koch with Soros or Bezos and see the same thing is happening on the Democrat side. Both political parties are beholden to money and this film would do much better if it were just truthful about that. There are about 2-3 minutes devoted to exposing Chuck Schumer's role in preventing the repeal of a huge tax loophole for hedge fund managers.

The truly enjoyable thing about watching this is that it is 2020 and I have the benefit of seeing how prosperous our country became after President Obama left office and new economic policies were put into place. Putting the effects of the pandemic aside (which no one could predict or control), the U.S. had such low unemployment numbers for everyone, not just certain segments. That shows that people truly want to work and not be dependent upon "programs" and assistance. Cutting regulations and focusing on making business conditions favorable in the U.S. has allowed many jobs to return to the U.S. Despite the dire warnings of the Democrats over the years, these policies actually put unions in stronger positions in the U.S. as businesses want to be here and Americans want to buy American-made products. Our economy can work for everyone and we can all achieve the American dream when we remove the class envy and warfare that is perpetuated by politicians.

Genius on Hold (2012)

Interesting but one-sided viewpoint

[4/10 · 7 August 2020]

More than once we are told that Shaw was prevented from earning a living by Bell. I doubt he was hired without agreeing that he could not profit directly from any patents. Most engineers work under that agreement now, for understandable reasons. I think it was his ego that wouldn't allow him to give his invention to Bell who in turn would invest in it, build it, market it, and take the financial loss if it failed to be marketable. Some people forget that side of things. Bell would be taking all the risk and Shaw would be taking none. When he was unemployed, if he had such a passion for his work, he could have gone to Europe or other places in the world. The U.S. wasn't the only place that had phones. Also, I believe it was his ego again that prevented him from getting an engineering job in another industry. With his skill, that would have been easy to do and would have provided a good paycheck. Instead he let his family live in uncertainty while he chased his dream. He was willing to compromise his values and work with the Mob in order to display his genius. I think that his choices were very selfish. I fault this show for not questioning those choices and his motivation for his actions. Instead it presented a sob story about how he was wronged and what he had to resort to. People may come to that conclusion but they should not be spoon fed it. They should be given all aspects to consider as they reach their conclusion.

Little White Lie (2014)

Interesting premise but disappointing

[5/10 · 8 July 2020]

What happened in Lacey's family has happened in many, many families over the years. A woman has an affair while married, gets pregnant, and chooses to raise the child as if they are the child of their husband. Sometimes the husband is aware and sometimes they are not. Sometimes the affair partner looks like the husband and sometimes they do not. Sometimes the child looks very out of place from the rest of the family and sometimes they do not. Women and men have their own reasons for keeping these things to themselves. My disappointment is that Lacey seems to miss the love and acceptance in her family. She assumes that they all suspected she was black but were just keeping it a secret, as if it were something they considered shameful. Perhaps they truly didn't care if she were half black, or any other race or nationality. Perhaps they were accepting and encouraging of the possibility that a married couple was trying to stay together and become a loving family for their child, even if an affair was suspected. That certainly was my feeling as she was telling about her upbringing. She was clearly loved as a member of the family, no questions asked and no declarations about which race she sided with needed.

I found the story disingenuous as she repeatedly states she lived in an all white world and didn't see black people until high school. She stated she didn't even think about race. Later she introduces Rodney by saying he was a man she had known all of her life. Several family members or friends relate stories about him so he was clearly involved with her family. I also question her description of black people as thinking that they have to try harder for their achievements to be recognized - this came shortly after she said she was admitted to Georgetown because she looked black in her picture. Unfortunately it is when institutions decide that we black people must be treated differently because of the way we look that we end up having to try harder. I hope that Lacey will learn that looking to the color of her skin will only serve to segregate her in society. I think her family saw beyond her skin color and I admire that. I think that is the only way we will all be equal and free is to see each other as people and not members of a certain race.