Admit_One Reviews

The Book of Eli (2010)

Not a bad ride....

[8/10 · 28 June 2010]

How long does it take a man to walk across the United States? About 30 years. Just long enough to memorize exactly, a very long and intricate book (word for word). I'm not sure what is so offensive or impossible about this premise as compared to other sci-fi or apocalypse films, but it sure seems to tick a few of the self described "open minded" reviewers off. There are some plot holes here and there in the film, but it's not a horrible movie by any measure.

Part Old Testament, very small part New Testament, Eli's journey is not untypical of other lone heroes with a purpose or a moral code. The plot unfolds in an interesting way and is peppered nicely with some fine action sequences mostly done in silhouette. There is a nice twist at the end and it's a good pay off for the viewer. If you get a chance to see the film a second time you will see how well Washington actually does what he does. If you can't suspend your disbelief for this film it's not because it impossible to do so. It's a very well done film. All this nit picking about small devices in the film reminds me of when I was watching Walt Disney's "Up" with my brother in law. About an hour into the film he saw something and commented "Well that's not very realistic!" I told him "The whole film is not realistic! It's a cartoon!" A note to the open minded reviewers IT'S A MOVIE! IT'S FICTION! IT'S MAKE BELIEVE!

How many atheist and agnostic movies were made and will be made in 2010? You stick the Bible reference in one film and some people act like they were cheated in a three card Monte game. Chill.

As for the girl going back to the desert, I got that she was going back for her mother, not that she was taking over for Eli.

Roll with it on this one. It's worth the ride in my opinion.

48 Angels (2007)

Not what it appears to be....

[2/10 · 31 December 2007]

This is another in a series of depressing Sinn Féin Irish Republican Army meditations. The film starts off great and the idea is terrific, it badly veers of course somewhere in the middle and the focus turns off of the child and onto the IRA and it stays there. It just gets more depressing as each minute rolls by. Murder, knee capping, kidnapping, betrayal and a dying child. It's all there and rolled out before you at an agonizing pace in this heartwarming comedy and meditation on God. If this film is "laugh out loud funny", then I invented the internet. There are a couple of cute bits in the film, but that's it.

The acting is fine, the cinematography is fine but nothing you have not seen before. This film is marketed as something it is not.

Renter beware...

Sicko (2007)

Persuasive in just a couple of ways. NOT A DOCUMENTARY

[4/10 · 20 June 2007]

I don't buy his argument for socialized medicine. But what I do buy is his argument for corrupt politicians and for medical insurance companies not delivering to paying customers what they are entitled to.

This all poses an interesting question. Mr. Moore illuminates the corrupt politicians, but in the same breath proposes that we place our health care and more taxes into their grubby little hands. You and I are already giving up a over a third of our income, just how much more would you like to see your weekly paycheck whittled down. How about half of your paycheck? Maybe more? Uh...I don't think so Mr. Moore. Oh, and name one federal government institution that runs efficiently, and at a reasonable cost - just one. Once you go government, you can't go back.

There are so many problems with what Mr. Moore presents here, mostly in the way of omissions. It's very easy asking someone who is receiving something that is "free" (Mr. Moore's word) if they like it and get "Yes!" as an answer. But what is the overall cost. Nothing is free in this world. This "free" system appears to be a bit of a pyramid scheme to me. Do these countries have 12-24 million poor illegal immigrants using their health care system? Why are hospitals closing here if it is all profit? That $40.00 ace bandage that you are charged for probably includes a percentage of someone else's unpaid bill.

As for people with preexisting conditions not being able to get insurance, well, that is just common sense to me. The next time you go to the races, keep putting your money down on the pony sure to lose and see what you have at the end of the day. And yes, morally it is sad.

So, I have to ask myself, is there no one that got a bad turn from socialized health care? Are there no horror stories on the other side of the border? Did those "sickos" end up on Mr. Moore's cutting room floor? These appear to be all cherry picked examples of what Mr. Moore believes. Someone has to ask these questions, Moore's true believers sure are not asking them. It goes to Moore's credibility. I'm curious, what if your government health care screws up? Who do you sue?

What Moore is really asking you to consider is this…" Is socialism really so scary and bad? Come, let's start here. You will get all this free stuff." When someone comes up to you and shows you a box of free stuff, you better keep your hand on the wallet in your pocket, because it's probably about to be picked.

As for going to Cuba to get health care, well, I wonder why Mr. Moore didn't ask some Cuban doctors to fly to the U.S. on his nickel. There is not a free Cuban on that island, that's why. The are all slaves to a dictator. You can have Castro's education and health care system and his cigars if it means I can't read, write and go where I want to go.

You have to scratch your head at any example that uses people under a dictatorship as an example. "You better put on a good show for the American film maker or we will shoot your father in the head". And no one questions that example...Uh huh.

Mr. Moore is right, something stinks here, but I am equally sure that more government is not the answer.

Quiz: What year was the American Constitution amended guaranteeing all citizens and non-citizens health care?

Darkness Falls (2003)

Spend a little time in the fun house...

[5/10 · 28 April 2003]

Darkness Falls follows closely in style to films like John Carpenter's "The Fog". The modest budget of the film is offset by an imaginative use of style, lighting and sound.

All the negative reviews on this film have me wondering if today's horror film aficionados are so jaded that they have forgotten that sometimes a visit to a fun house can be as much fun as spending an hour or two with Hannibal Lector. If you can give up your concept of needing to be hit over the head with shock, you can have a good time with the film. It's not a dog by any measure.

This is an old fashioned scary movie. It's a "Popcorn Film". It does not pretend to be high art. The tight running time is a credit the director. In short...it was not great, it was not bad, it was a fun little ride.

Baise-moi (2000)

Way too much hype about an interesting B movie...

[16 April 2003]

Why this movie is so shocking to everyone is beyond me. If you have seen a fair amount of B movies since 1965 you probably have seen parts of this film many times over. The twist (if you can call it that) is that there is some porn sprinkled along the way to keep what would otherwise be a run of the mill second feature crime drama interesting.

The women are attractive. The cut away violence is more gratuitous than graphic. The sex is what holds the whole thing together. Take that out and what have you got? A been there, done that road crime picture.

It's worth a watch. Interesting? Yes. Sexy. Yes. Shocking? Only if you have not seen work by auteur directors like Cronenberg, Lynch and the like.

Its a cheap thrill. There are worse things..