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Reviews
Primal (2019)
Just Wow
Some actors become stable actors and can be relied upon to give unique performances as called upon. Past their heyday put still putting out good work by rounding out casts.
Now then comes Nicholas Cage. This guy must owe a ton of gambling debts because he is apparently swinging at every script coming his way. When I saw Con Air, I thought, man I hope this doesn't portend his future or become a trend. It didn't. In fact it got worse my the movie. A couple of good hits in there but now, he''s on my do not watch list because there are only so many movies worth watching and you'll never get the time back.
Gemini Man (2019)
I've seen far better
The story-line was quickly predictable. I enjoyed watching poorly made-up stunt doubles do all the high speed work and they were good, except we were suppose to be seeing Will Smith. Will Smith is one of my favorite actors, so I am laying this on, the cheap production, cheaper CGI work and make up on par with Glamour Shots at the mall.
Botched Up Bodies (2013)
The problems I see with Britain's National Health Service.
Here in America, we do things differently...thankfully. I watched as surgeons, private as well as those in the NHS preforming full, open anatomy, general anesthesia surgical procedures with NO FACE MASKS. In fact most of the episodes show no one at all in the entire surgical theater wearing face masks. Many of these surgeries are to fix problems caused by infections resulting from the original "Botched" procedures. Yet they take no thought or care to cover their mouths and noses while in surgery. One surgeon was sitting next to the gurney and had blood in several places near his mouth and nose. Now, it is not just a danger to the surgical staff but mostly for the patients for cross contamination. A sudden reflex sneeze or cough anywhere close to the open incision sends mucous and sputum out in a near atomized form to possible infect a patient.
I was truly shocked to see these surgical habits. Another was doctors and surgeons in their exam rooms, examining a patient with no protective surgical gloves on...ever. Even examining a patient's inner lips and mouth, in post surgery follow-up.
The rule I believe should be, never give anything you have to the patient and don't get anything from the patient.
I know the NHS is a deep, deep hole the UK pours money into. But you would think, for the sake of not having more doctor caused health problems and thus, more delays for patients needing to be treated, that the health providers would take all common and necessary precautions in caring for their patients.
My takeaway from the show is this. If you need or want something done, don't go the cheap route and head to Thailand or some such place. If it's worth having it done, then wait to have it done properly. Next, if the doctor doesn't take these precautions, spend a few pounds and buy them for the folks treating you to use.
Finally, if I am ever sick in the UK and it's not an emergency, I'll wait until I get home. That or travel with sealed face masks and exam gloves.
A little precaution goes a long way. Preventive medicine starts with, don't make your patients sicker than they were when they came to see you.
First Man (2018)
A wonderful, full dimension piece of history, made into a two dimensional flop/
This could have been done better, if James Cameron had been asked to just make a 'go to the moon movie'. The history of this event was removed and having watching it intently when it was happening live, I was disappointed beyond words that the pride I felt when seeing the American flag in 1969, was purposely omitted. Of course Ryan Gosling was chic and stylish enough to admit his Canadian birth gives him a "cognitive bias", what ever the heck that means, except possibly, it is his way of saying this wasn't an American accomplishment but more of a 'We Are The World' Moment. He explained for the producers that, "I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement and that's how we chose to view it,' the actor told The Telegraph. "I also think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible." Well. no Ryan, you have that butt backwards and upside down. yes, Neil Armstrong as well as all the crews of Apollo missions were humble men but they were first and foremost Americans. The history of this included the often overlooked time of a heightened Cold War, when getting into space and to the Moon was as much an effort to keep the former Soviet Union from possibly weaponizing both as it was for exploration. Of course, Neil Armstrong and those of the Apollo missions are gone and could not be consulted as advisors or for their opinions regarding the political non-statements. I gave this movie one star because it could have been done FAR better and it could have actually followed the true history instead of what the current political climate of anti-Americanism. In historical films, either show the true history. or don't make it at all. Unless of course they want to start making movies that the the Confederate States as the good guys and the North as oppressors. Tell me how that would play in Poughkeepsie.
First Man (2018)
A wonderful, full dimension piece of history, made into a two dimensional flop/
This could have been done better, if James Cameron had been asked to just make a 'go to the moon movie'. The history of this event was removed and having watching it intently when it was happening live, I was disappointed beyond words that the pride I felt when seeing the American flag in 1969, was purposely omitted. Of course Ryan Gosling was chic and stylish enough to admit his Canadian birth gives him a "cognitive bias", what ever the heck that means, except possibly, it is his way of saying this wasn't an American accomplishment but more of a 'We Are The World' Moment. He explained for the producers that, "I think this was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement and that's how we chose to view it,' the actor told The Telegraph. "I also think Neil was extremely humble, as were many of these astronauts, and time and time again he deferred the focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the mission possible." Well. no Ryan, you have that butt backwards and upside down. yes, Neil Armstrong as well as all the crews of Apollo missions were humble men but they were first and foremost Americans. The history of this included the often overlooked time of a heightened Cold War, when getting into space and to the Moon was as much an effort to keep the former Soviet Union from possibly weaponizing both as it was for exploration. Of course, Neil Armstrong and those of the Apollo missions are gone and could not be consulted as advisors or for their opinions regarding the political non-statements. I gave this movie one star because it could have been done FAR better and it could have actually followed the true history instead of what the current political climate of anti-Americanism. In historical films, either show the true history. or don't make it at all. Unless of course they want to start making movies that the the Confederate States as the good guys and the North as oppressors. Tell me how that would play in Poughkeepsie.
Platoon (1986)
It was good but...
I do not watch Vietnam movies because having served in the war, most are far from the reality my expediences of combat. However Oliver Stone did a great job of bringing his own wartime experience to the screen. Charlie Sheen was not the first choice for his part and his performance showed why. He apparently left a lot of his character wisping away in the smoke of a hash pipe and not in the movie. Worse and by that I mean THE worst actor (not character) but actor was Kevin Dillon. Having watched Entourage and enjoying it, except for Dillon, he also caused my 7/10 score for Platoon. It was just Johnny Drama in Vietnam and Entourage was Bunny survives the war (unfortunately) and goes to Hollywood. Dillon in everything I have watched him in, is a stiff, cardboard cutout of someone that should be there but didn't show up. He has only 2 facial expressions, bad attempts to smile and worse attempts to frown, from which he tries to cover the entire range of a characters emotional actions and responses.
Willem Defoe, Tom Berenger and Forest Whitaker were the three main actors who along with several others rated this movie a 7 for me. The soundtrack was great, the cinematography was excellent and for that Oliver Stone deserves his awards. I have however watched my last anything with Kevin Dillon anywhere in it.
In all, I do so wish Mr. Stone had looked further than Charlie Sheen for an actor, a real actor anyway, and for my money the movie would have been better without the character of Bunny entirely if Dillon was the only choice. YMMV