the_green_vision Reviews

Wrestling Isn't Wrestling (2015 Video)

The best movie about wrestling I've seen.

[13 November 2016]

This was great. I thought the style of narration was unique, the skits were terrific and Landis' summaries of the various eras of HHH were laser accurate.

I also thought that the actors did a pretty creditable job of portraying the Wrestlers (particularly The Rock, Stone Cold and Sean Michaels.

There is *so* much good here if you are already a fan of wrestling, and I'm told it's pretty great even if you are not. Landis' enthusiasm for the medium shines.

I really valued when he admitted that "yes, a lot of wrestling is crap" (because that's pretty inarguable), but he followed it with the equally true "But when it's good, it's f***ing *great*" I have to agree.

Across the Universe (2007)

Just not that good.

[3/10 · 11 May 2008]

I'm kind of shocked to see so many positive reviews here, as I grabbed this movie last night on a whim (my eldest daughter remembered the trailer and generally Eddie Izzard is worth watching) and it was just not a very good movie.

Oh, visually it was interesting; but the story was beyond naive, the principal characters were cardboard and the soundtrack--the movie's selling point judging by the marketing--was just awful.

First off, and I hope I'm not ruining it for anyone, but it's a lesser version of "Hair".

Honestly, the same ground is covered in much the same way as in Hair, but it takes longer (*far* longer) and the characters are far less likable.

And the music! I like the Beatles just fine, but the re-imaginings of the songs can (with the exception of Bono's version of "I am the Walrus") could best be described as "Slow it down and make it somber" Seriously. A huge proportion of the songs are a single character sitting introspectively and singing slowly and breathily.

The first time it happens it's an interest take on classic Beatles tunes. The Second time? Still an interesting idea...the third? I'm seeing a pattern forming.

By the umpteenth time it happens (like when the artist kid is drawing a still life of fruit and, seeing a Strawberry, launches into "Strawberry Fields Forever" my eyes are getting tired from the rolling.

My daughter excused herself at about the halfway point to go do something else. I wish I had joined her.

Mount Pleasant (2006)

Awesome film.

[9/10 · 27 January 2007]

I saw the movie and loved it. Ben Ratner's character in it is pretty much me.

When we first moved into the area the place was rife with junkie hookers (like Katie Boalnd's character) and a variety of petty thieves constantly milling around looking for anything not nailed down (like the tool thief/pimp played by Tygh Runyan in the film).

We were broken into 11 times in the space of two years. The police, we found out, wouldn't bother showing up for Break-and-enter calls, much less "Hookers in the alley" calls...which left us with Night Patrol.

Night Patrol folks are not--as the above poster called them--"Vigilante Goons", their entire M.O is to just stand around with the Hooker until she decides to leave (They don't get a lot of business when guys in reflective vests stand there writing down the license plates of the Johns should they drive up).

In fact, the whole tone of the above poster's commentary seemed to be that poor, honest, hard-working, Drug-addled Hookers were being unfairly targeted by mean-spirited, violent lowlife home owners.

The fact that it's been the better part of two years since we've been broken into shows that a variety of tacks--including Night Patrol, "Zero Tolerance" for anyone suspicious lurking in the alleys and constant vigilance has started to bear fruit as far as cleaning the neighbourhood up.

Police will answer calls occasionally now! It's still not safe to leave anything unattended in your car, but the chances of finding used Hypodermic needles in your backseat seems at an all-time low.

The odd altercation still occurs with some shifty low-life, but with nothing like the frequency of previous years.

If all of this has made life hard for Drug-addled hookers and the Two bit Junkie thieves who sponge off them, well, I'm not going to cry myself to sleep over it.

Anyway, excellent movie all around. The quality up on the screen really shone.