paulwaidelich Reviews

Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017)

Important History, But Not An Important Film

[7/10 · 30 December 2017]

Having lived through the Nixon years, I was hoping for a more complete All The Presidents Men. Knowing now the name of Deep Throat, I was looking for cinematic greatness (or at least some entertainment) in the retelling of this important story. The historical accuracy was my only reward. Mark Felt is a movie worth watching, but as a documentary and not as a compelling movie. The Nixon years were a time when a ruthless, suspicious, narcissistic psychopath looked to consolidate the power of the presidency and move our nation towards an imperial democracy. Anyone see any possible parallels to current events? Mark Felt as a man belongs on a short list of patriots who stepped up at a critical moment in American history, much like Patrick Henry or (more controversially) Edward Snowden. Instead, we got a historically accurate but dramatically deficient movie that will be quickly forgotten. Like most reviewers on IMDB, I am ignorant of how movies are truly made. I cannot say who bears responsibility for making this an average film. The director? The writer? Liam Neeson leads an able cast and does a good job. The true story was an emotional cliffhanger, with the stakes being the highest since the Civil War. Nixon was a man elected president who wanted to become a dictator. Mark Felt and the Washington Post took him on almost singlehandedly, and saved the Constitution. This story needs to be retold. Mark Felt, The Man Who Brought Down the White House, doesn't come close to capturing the real life drama and importance of this OMG moment in our nation's history.

The Better Angels (2014)

Slow, So Slooowwww

[4/10 · 11 September 2017]

In thoughtful movies that rely on dialog and story rather than CGI, sex and violence, there's an opportunity to craft meaningful character studies. The Better Angels forgoes the flash, even filming in black and white. The problem is, they didn't develop any characters. Particularly young Lincoln. Nothing happens. No one changes, except maybe Lincoln's father a little. The viewer slogs through the boredom of frontier life without any insight into young Lincoln. I don't need to see people shot, stabbed and punched. I don't need to see gratuitous sex or colorful explosions, flashy costumes or lively music. But if you're going to make a movie about an historical character, there has to be a story told that shapes the boy into a man. This movie is little more than a black and white home movie where NOTHING happens. Four stars is probably generous.

Hidden Figures (2016)

Black Women Who Make Us Proud to be American

[9/10 · 24 August 2017]

When we see black people in movies, most of the time the women are loose and the men carry guns. How refreshing to see Hidden Figures, a story of women who happen to be black reaching their potentials. The three main characters suffer double prejudice as both black and women. They are wives and mothers, the products of black families who fought to get them educated. The results helped put John Glenn in space. One of the daughters wrote the book. This is a story about more than three women. It's a success story that belongs to their families as well.

I remember my father, who was an aerodynamical and thermodynamical engineer in this same era. He would come home and brag that he had reserved an hour with his companies IBM mainframe. Other Dads brought their sons toys and sweets. He'd bring me home those IBM punch cards. The movie got that part right. The advanced technology that was so amazing then is only fit for museums. We possess more calculating power in our cell phones than the entire NASA system that put a man in space. It was all done by people using math, engineers and mathematicians like these 3 amazing women.

Like classic movies, Hidden Figures doesn't have any CGI. Not a shot is fired. Not a punch was thrown. It's simply a great story, well- researched with great characters. Props to everyone involved. If you have a collection of movies, this one is a keeper. Hidden Figures will still be a good movie long after we've forgotten flashier popcorn flicks. There's no substitute for a great script.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Not Half Bad

[7/10 · 16 August 2017]

I have a degree is English literature from the University of Washington. This qualifies me for only two things; I can teach, and I can be a snob about movies. I read some of the bad reviews of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and I was ready to hate it. Surprise! It's really enjoyable. OK, when we compile our lists of the most influential movies we've seen, this won't be on anyone's list. It breaks no new ground. The characters don't develop much. The plot has so many holes you could drain your pasta. Boo hoo! Cry me a river.

It's fun. The special effects are amazing. The colors are brilliant. The action is well-paced. For the haters, get over yourselves. It's not that kind of movie. You like all the characters. Even the villains are thoroughly enjoyable. The violence is slapstick, and makes you smile. You know nothing bad is going to happen to anyone important. Even when bad guys die, it's nothing more than a "darn it, you got me" moment.

Is Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 a great movie? No. Should you expect to enjoy it? Yes! (Unless you sat on something, and it's still lodged firmly inside you.) Will I watch the inevitable Vol 3? You betcha. Can't wait!

Passengers (I) (2016)

Best Spaceship Ever Filmed

[9/10 · 16 March 2017]

Others have said it all, and better.

This movie has the WOW factor like nothing else, and realism to spare. The design of the spaceship is the most unique, intelligent and forward thinking of any ever filmed. You can love the Enterprise in Star Trek, and cool spacecraft in everything from Aliens to Gravity to Lost in Space. The space craft in Passengers is out of this world, and yet makes perfect sense as you watch its spiraling parts and force field bubble nose.

Jennifer Lawrence continues her professional journey as one of the elite actresses of her generation. She's sexy, vulnerable, emotional and deep. Chris Pratt is charming without being an idiot, and rises to the challenge better than you'd expect. They're not Spencer and Hepburn, but their relationship and chemistry are special.

It's not perfect, but you'll look at your watch and wonder how 1:56:11 went by so quickly. Great pacing, great acting, excellent story and the best spaceship design in the history of sci-fi. 9 out of 10, and props to everyone involved.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

Nearly Flawless, 9 out of 10 for Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels

[9/10 · 24 June 2016]

Wow. If I wasn't already a fan of Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey, I sure am now. The same barbed wit is evident throughout Whiskey, Tengo Foxtrot (military acronym for What the F***), but this isn't a skit. Tina Fey portrays a nuanced character, a low level employee of a network news department who makes an impulsive career move and ends up as a war correspondent in Afghanistan. Doesn't sound entertaining? It probably wouldn't be without the amazing touch Fey puts on her character. While it's not a war movie, it certainly captures the hopelessness of a culture doomed to perpetual war in the arm pit of the world. Afghanistan ultimately gets dismissed as a place undeserving of American military support, or even interest. The people shoot each other and blow each other up in conflict over interpretations of their medieval religion, and the movie correctly concludes "who cares"? But the Americans and individual Afghanis touch each others lives in ways that transcend cynicism. Fey and her Saturday Night Live co-producer Lorne Michaels find humor and humanity in ways that make you root for all the characters. The movie has no dull moments, and the pacing keeps you in your seat. Like Afghanistan itself, there were potential landmines of preachiness, boring politics and hopelessness...and WTF avoids them all. There are subtle, brilliant, and stereotype breaking supporting roles by Billy Bob Thornton, Alfred Molina, (Spiderman 2), Margot Robbie (Wolf of Wall Street) and Martin Freeman (whose correspondent character is as far from Bilbo Baggins as Kabul is from New York.) Three cheers for Tina Fey, who manages to give us entertainment and a smile while showing us how lucky we are to be Americans. WTF could have been boring and preachy, and instead gives us a feel good movie from the most unlikely place on earth.

Re-Kill (2015)

Zombie Remake of Starship Troopers

[6/10 · 20 October 2015]

There's nothing wrong with B movies. Paul Verhoeven's 1999 classic Starship Troopers was one of the best B movies ever made, and Re- Kill is the zombie tribute to the original. Instead of bugs, you've got zombies, but the story stays close to the Starship Troopers script. They've even got the movie formatted like someone is watching a TV show. The commercials are great fun.

Let's not get carried away. This movie isn't that good. Unlike all the fully fleshed out characters in Troopers, the makers of this film didn't give us anyone to care about. As a result, it's hard to root for anyone. The wholes in the plot are big enough to drop a giant beetle through. (Starship Trooper reference). The authorities keep sending the same squad out to fight hordes of zombies. They never have a line of retreat, never have any reinforcements, backup or air support. The zombie battles are all conveniently in the dark, which probably saved a ton on makeup. These aren't your ambling zombies from a George Romero classic. These zombies must have all been NFL linebackers the way they contain, tackle then devour the poor soldiers. The soldiers have no protection on their neck, or arms. The logic is so porous there will be a puddle under your TV halfway through the flick.

So is it terrible? No. If you like zombie films, it's worth renting. But you won't pause it to go to the bathroom. You'll let it run, knowing you won't miss anything important. It's fun in many parts, but only for those of us who have to watch all zombie films.

Tomorrowland (2015)

Positive Characters and Great Visuals

[8/10 · 28 September 2015]

I read a bunch of negative reviews and almost didn't view this movie. That would have been my loss. It's almost like the negative reviewers were talking about themselves and their own lives in their harshly negative assessment of Tomorrowland. It's fun, positive, fast-paced and visually very pleasing.

I'm an old man, and was actually at the 1964 World's Fair whose theme was "Peace Through Understanding". It was a time of limitless possibilities. It was a time just before space exploration and all the inventions that came from that technical effort; calculators, cell technology and of course computers. Everything seemed possible. The movie starts there, where George Clooney's younger self comes into contact with a type of Cold War scientist. The movie explores the possibility of what would have happened if the free spirited positive thinkers had taken control of America, not the Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon "Peace through War" types. The children of the people who supported the death of the ideals in 1964 are now the a**holes writing negative reviews.

What's so bad about a movie fantasy where the good guys win, and build a better world with positive values and cool technology?

In the Blood (I) (2014)

Five Star Movie With 3 Great Performances

[7/10 · 23 September 2015]

I live in Mexico, and while this is the Caribbean, the blending of the bad guys and the cops was too real. The common people have no control, and the narcos and the police find a way to work together. They feel there is no reason to shoot each other when they can all make money the easy way. Everyone who has anything is corrupt in Latin America. They protect what's theirs and to hell with everyone else. In The Blood got that right.

In The Blood is a boring, predictable story. It's a 4 or 5 star movie, except for 3 performances. Gina Carano is no Meryl Streep, but she is totally believable as the loyal, ass-kicking wife who will go to any lengths to protect her guy. The fight scenes are great, and worth slogging through the swamp of poor dialog and the formula plot.

The second performance that exceeds expectations is Luis Guzman as the police chief. He is perfect as the malignant, corrupt official with a face of stone. Then he is perfect when things don't go his way. Both his arrogance and vulnerability capture the essence of the Latina male.

The final excellent performance belongs to Stephen Lang as the Flashback Dad. How did Gina Carano's character get so tough? Stephen Lang plays Gina's outlaw dad. The tough love he gives her is intense and believable. He's only got a couple scenes, but then are intense. Whether he's playing a civil war general (Gettysburg), a mercenary trying to steal a planet from the natives

Danny Trejo also gets to play another knife wielding bad guy. Danny Trejo is always good, but he's like a Latin John Wayne. He plays himself perfectly every time.

You can't watch In The Blood like a normal movie, because it doesn't work like that. It's a boring story. You watch it to see the lovely Gina Carano beat up the bad guys and look good doing it. You watch it to see Luis Guzman play a villain so despicable you feel no regret when things don't go his way. Most of all, you watch In The Blood for the brief moments that Stephan Lang dominates the screen.

3 great performances. Skip the rest.

Into the Storm (2014)

Spins A Good Story

[7/10 · 6 November 2014]

Reading the reviews of Into the Storm by some viewers, I braced myself for a bad movie with good effects. Wrong. The story is good, and the effects are amazing. You had almost 10 well-defined characters who change during the course of the movie, primarily the single dad with his two sons. The movie Twister had more blockbuster moments, but it was refreshing not to have to watch Helen Hunt (not my favorite.) Into the Storm had a hot chick (Alycia Debnam Carey) fall for the nerdy camera kid. She isn't Megan Fox, but she is definitely eye candy worth watching. They had two guys who belong in the Jackass movies chasing the twisters along with the professionals. They are hilarious. The stars of the movie, of course, are the twisters. They are better rendered that the original Twister movie. The movie has a good pace, with just the right amount of drama between the action scenes. I give the movie a 6, the effects an 8, so let's split the difference and give this one a 7.

Live Nude Girls (2014)

Your Favorite Pornstars Can Act

[6/10 · 2 November 2014]

Let's not take ourselves too seriously. If I was forced to watch Expendables 3 or Live Nude Girls a second time, I would rather watch Bree Olson, Asa Akira, and especially Tera Patrick one more time. Bree does her ditsy blonde routine to perfection, and Tera Patrick is a good actress. She plays a bipolar seductress, and switches from a sweet aunt to greedy bitch faster than you can say "I'm not a fig plucker, nor a fig pluckers son, but I'll pluck figs until the fig plucker comes." It's a NICE movie. The hero is a nice guy who inherits a famous club running out of money. There is a bouncer with a poet's soul, an affable manager with drug and alcohol problems, a loser best friend who comes through in the end. There is even a romance between the main character and the cocktail waitress who actually runs the entire club. OK. It's not Shakespeare. The sole purpose is to make you smile. It's a decent story, photographed well with plenty of interesting characters, lots of great tits and a happy ending that ties all the character lines together. Lighten up. Watch it while you're cleaning house or balancing the checkbook. It's a visual snack, not a 7 Course Feast.

Frontera (2014)

Great Story About Bad Neighbors

[8/10 · 30 October 2014]

I am retired and living in Mexico. Like most Americans, I knew nothing about Mexicans, even though I grew up near the border. When I was in high school in the 60's, I would hear the garden hose come on at night. Being only 10 miles from the border, I would hear the quiet sounds of Mexicans getting a drink of water on their way North. My bedroom door was unlocked. These illegal aliens were 10 feet from my door. I had no fear of them, nor did I have any reason to.

Frontera is a movie about how little Mexicans and Americans understand one another. Americans, with their sense of entitlement, have no understanding of the aspirations of the less fortunate neighbors to the south. Mexicans have no understanding of how hard their Northern neighbors to own what they have. To Mexicans, we are all lazy rich people. To Americans, our neighbors to the south are whores and taxi drivers, not worthy.

The story begins realistically, a hopeful Mexican man hiking north, leaving his wife and family behind. He crosses the border on foot, his only crime is illegal entry. Bad stuff happens, all of it unnecessary, and all of it because of the suspicion and mistrust between neighbors in different countries and different worlds. There are few real villains in this movies for all the violence and hatred it displays. The misunderstanding between the two cultures is the real villain.

Ed Harris and his real life wife, Amy Madigan, are excellent. You won't recognize Eva Longoria without her slut makeup and push up bra. Surprise! She can act a little! Michael Pena also deserves praise for his portrayal of a man caught in a culture war while simply trying to obtain a better life for his family. The story works. People change, and have a better understanding of what each needs from the other. A good, entertaining film with a happy ending and a message of hope for two countries who could learn a lot from each other.

Gun Woman (2014)

Reservoir Dogs Meets La Femme Nikita

[8/10 · 16 September 2014]

I understand the bad reviews.

The movie is gritty, not glossy and high budget. Not everyone enjoys Quentin Tarantino style dialog and plot twists. There's more blood and mindless killing than a Hollywood blockbuster, and it's graphic. For most of the movie, Asami is either naked or has her slim Japanese breasts exposed. It's not erotic, even in her soft porn sex scenes. She's usually covered in dirt, mud or blood. I understand why many reviewers rated this below a 5.

I gave it an 8. Every good movie needs a villain, and Gun Woman has one of the most despicable villains I've seen. I hated his face, his eyes, his insane smile. Like the protagonists, I wanted to see him dead.

The Asami character is borrowed (stolen) from La Femme Nikita and the Bridget Fonda Americanized version, Point of No Return. This did not trouble me. Like Nikita, she's found broken, rehabilitated and trained. This was realistic and fun to watch, except when it got too bloody. The flowing blood was a metaphor for Life and Death, but I am squeamish and found it hard to watch.

The ending is straight out of early M. Night Shyamalan movies. You just don't see it coming.

This is not a character driven movie. The only character who changes is Gun Woman herself, and that isn't important to the movie. It tells a story of vengeance and redemption covering 3 generations. Unlike more highly rated features, it has a beginning, middle and end. "No Country For Old Men" won a Best Picture award and have an ending. If you are open-minded, can endure the blood letting and love a good vengeance movie with a surprise ending, Gun Woman is a different and rewarding experience.

Godzilla (2014)

True Story; Film Students Kidnapped The Real Movie Makers

[2/10 · 9 September 2014]

A group of UCLA film students were smoking dope in Westwood, and created the most daring plan in the history of cinema. Why not kidnap all the talented people associated with Godzilla 2014 and make their own movie? Far out, Dude.

To avoid spoilers, I won't divulge the boring details of the kidnapping of talented directors, writers, special effects artists and actors originally hired. All the stoney students were BIG fans of Breaking Bad, so the only original cast member was Bryan Cranston. He quickly began asking too many hard questions, so they killed off his character after only 20 minutes into the movie, paid him his millions, smoked another 20 bowls and continued on.

They worked hard into each night, fueled by drugs, pizza and caffeinated soft drinks. Like all stoners, good ideas came and went, unrealized. They tried real hard, but their drug fueled fuzzy thinking permeates each and every scene. The premises sounded good, and the THC influenced authors were certain everyone would get it.

They began running out of money (several million was spent on Domino's alone) so they hired children to fill out the scenes. They worked cheap. Eventually, they ran out of pot, pizza and capital, so they threw together a dumb ending and finished.

The real filmmakers were released, their budget spent, their original ideas gone and the substitute film in the can. They decided not to go public, since the product was watchable and probably makes sense to stoned 12 year olds.

This movie is not "so bad it's good." It's so bad that it's....so bad. It's more fun to rewatch the one made in the 50s.

Now the true story of Godzilla 2014 can be told.

Trust Me (2013)

Jerry McGuire Without Redemption

[1/10 · 20 August 2014]

Can you imagine watching Jerry McGuire, where Tom Cruise gets cheated by the Cuba Gooding character in the final scenes, then shot to death for good measure? Trust Me is the downer of all downer movies. The story is about an agent, played by Iron Man's Agent Coulson, Gregg Clark. Like Jerry McGuire, the movie starts with a down-and-out agent hanging onto his life and sanity by a thread. A former child star turned Hollywood agent, Gregg Clarks character befriends a young, talented child star up for a 3 picture role in a Twilight-style movie series. He helps her get free of her father, who has sexually abused her. Time for bells to ring, the sun to shine, and life to be lived happily ever after by this decent, worthy man? No. It's time for the young child star to dump him in favor of a sleazy agent, played by an outstanding Sam Rockwell. Sam Rockwell has the same role as Jay Mohr and his character in Jerry McGuire, a man who will say and do anything to cheat his way to the top. Just when you think it can't get any worse, the pedophile dad shoots Gregg Clark in the final scene. It's a great, uplifting message: No matter what you do, no matter what success you earn, someone with fewer scruples will take it all from you. You Can't Win is the message of this piece of s***.

This is the first spoiler review I've written. Save yourself an hour and a half of pain. This is the Feel Awful Movie-of-the-Decade. One star is generous. Skip Trust Me, and watch Jerry McGuire again.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

OK, but far below the original

[5/10 · 12 May 2014]

The original Mr. Peabody and Sherman appeared in the 60's, inside the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. It was just one feature, not even an entire show of its own. The writing was amazing for 60's television. It worked for very young children, but adults liked it as well because of the multi-layered dialog. Many of the jokes went past the kids, but made the mature viewers laugh out loud.

The movie is aimed at children up to 8 years old. The writing is adequate, but nowhere near the level of the writers 50 years ago. The animation is also OK, but nothing that breaks new ground. The Way Back time machine was a missed opportunity, more like a round red time ball that moved through blue tubes. The characters don't change, no one grows. They just threw a bunch of historical figures with no personality into the mix, trying to recreate the magic of the original.

Rent this one for your young (very young) kids. You won't want to waste your time watching it yourself.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Jack Ryan as a thinking man's action hero

[8/10 · 11 May 2014]

For John Clancy purists and die hard Harrison Ford fans, there can be no movie to match your expectations. I've read the books, and seen every Harrison Ford movie, but I can't agree with the negative reviews. I liked Jack Ryan as a thinking man's action hero. Was it perfect? No. Will I watch the next in this series? You bet! The older Jack Ryan movies had a much more limited action budget. I thought there were too many fights, shootouts and car chases in this one. However, the younger Jack Ryan, played by Chris Pine, has physical courage to match his intellectual and moral courage. He figures out where the bad guys are heading, just like the Alec Baldwin/Harrison Ford Jack Ryans. The difference here is that once this Jack Ryan finds the bad guys, he beats them up.

The second half of the movie does not equal the first half. The first half introduces and explores the characters. The last half is more like a James Bond movie. Boom. Bang. Crash. Shoot, bang, bang. The goofy grin on Chris Pine's face at the end is worth the wait.

Zulu (2013)

intelligent action movie that keeps you guessing

[9/10 · 18 April 2014]

The story is set in Post-Mandela South Africa, with blacks and whites working side by side as both criminals and cops. The central mystery is the solution of a mysterious drug that hits the shack lined streets of the poor black neighborhoods who have seen little change in their poverty with the onset of the "rainbow nation", plus the mysterious disappearance of young black pre-teen boys. There is only violence as a solution; between criminals, between conflicting police officers and a vicious and extremely equal battle between good and evil.

Orlando Bloom does "edgie" as well as Colin Farrell, and that's saying a lot. He's a callous ladies man who contrasts nicely with Forest Whitakers mysterious sexuality. Bloom's character is a lost soul seeking redemption. Forest Whitaker is almost saintly in his forgiveness of the terrible wrongs done to him in childhood (shown in horrifying flashback). Both characters change, grow, suffer and adapt. There are excellent female roles; Forest Whitakers black mom, Orlando Blooms ex-wife who can't completely give up on him, an ambitious black geek detective who earns her place in a man's world by ingenious computer detective work, and a taunting stripper who captures Forest Whitakers attention. There are even excellent female supporting roles; a casual witness who uses Orlando Bloom for sex and not the other way around, and one of the nastiest female villains to ever point an assault rifle. Even secondary villains and police are memorable This is not a formula movie, where you know everything that will happen in the first 10 minutes. It's an intelligent action movie that keeps you guessing until the very end. You can watch Zulu several times, and continually catch more and more minute plot twists, amazing scenes depicting the beauty and squalor of South Africa and the importance of walk on characters that contribute to the depth of the movie. It just keeps getting better and better.

Ender's Game (2013)

The Movie Makes No Sense Unless You Have Read The Book

[7/10 · 30 January 2014]

I wrote my original review a year and a half ago. You can see it below. What's different? My daughter gave me a copy of the book. This movie never made any sense until I read the book. If you are a sci-fi fan, maybe you are familiar with Dune. That was another great book made into a good (not great) movie. If you saw the movie Dune without reading the book, all the nuance was gone. Same with Ender's Game. If you like sci-fi, read the book by Orson Scott Card first. The movie doesn't work unless you've read the book. Otherwise, I stand by my review below.

I ignored the bad reviews. How bad could a movie starring Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley be? The answer is...barely watchable.

I haven't read the books. However, if you are going to have young children star in a movie with violence, you need more adult supervision. I hope this isn't a spoiler, but by putting kids in total control of a planetary defense system during an intergalactic war you strain the boundaries of credibility. The kids are all interesting, but not that much. There are literally dozens of moments that don't feel right, are unbelievable or insult your intelligence so much that you cannot give yourself to the storyline. Harry Potter always had adults guiding him. They didn't make Harry the headmaster of Hogwarts when he was 11 years old.

The special effects are good. There are many plot devices that almost work. Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley are outstanding as always. You keep hoping that the movie will become intelligent and redeem itself. Unfortunately, the ending goes in the opposite direction. How many good movies end with the audience thinking "Bullshit!"? You'll end up wondering why they spent $110,000,000 without putting it in front of a focus group.

If you can watch it for free and lower your expectations to ground level, there are many good moments in this film. Just prepare to be disappointed at the end.

Miss Bala (2011)

Good Film, But Could Have Been So Much More

[6/10 · 3 December 2013]

Why is this film entitled "Miss Bala"? It should be "Miss Baja". From the title to direction, acting and even film editing, this movie doesn't live up to the script. It's a story from the headlines, seen through the eyes of an innocent young woman. The story weaves drug violence and corruption through a young girl's dream of becoming Miss Baja....or Miss Bala. Trouble is, the heroine seems stupid and weak, and doesn't seem any wiser at the end of the story. Many scenes are poorly lit and take too long. None of the other characters, except maybe the drug kingpin, seem real; more like cartoon gangsters, policemen, beauty pageant officials and soldiers on both sides. It's worth watching. With the same script in the hands of a better director, technical staff and actors, it could have been amazing.

We Steal Secrets (2013)

Intriguing Moral Dilemma

[8/10 · 13 September 2013]

I'm a retiree living in Mexico who doesn't read newspapers, internet news or watch television. I'm as unbiased as you can get. I was stunned by the venom of many reviewers, most of whom are pro Assange. I kept reading reviews, waiting for someone to state what I considered the obvious point of the movie makers. I didn't see it, so here is my opinion of what the movie is about.

People are weak. We easily lose sight of our original goals when we obtain power. Through power, we become what we originally detested. It's inherent in human nature, and cannot be avoided.

The United States struggles worldwide. Each public servant begins with ideals. Gradually, though the accumulation of power, they face the same decisions as their predecessors. Often, they make the same mistakes. Thus, the Obama of today becomes what the pre-presidential Obama would have considered a war criminal. Ironically, WikiLeaks began the same; idealistically. Then they, particularly Julian Assange, succumbed to the same faults in human nature as their government antagonists. The documentary is the story of good people doing bad things, including Assange. It is also the story of inevitable consequences. If you make a credible challenge to the United States government, don't expect the enemies you've made to say "thank you, you're right, nice job." When a small power declares war on a larger power, don't expect fair play. Expect annihilation.

In war amongst nations, strange allies are created. Assange living in the Ecuadorian embassy? If you believe, as I do, that you can tell the character of a person (or nation) by their friends, what does this say about Assange? One thread of the movie is the character development of this unusual and charismatic man, from idealist to Rock Star Rebel screwing attractive women without thoughts of consequence to paranoid recluse turning on his own friends and ideals to fugitive living under the protection of a corrupt government that is the antithesis of every ideal of freedom he began with. The documentary shows clearly that Assange is just a human being misusing immense power, no different that the governments he first turned on. The movie would have been better if he had been interviewed, but succeeds in making it's point without it. Assange, the man who supposedly puts the dissemination of information ahead of all other considerations, won't do the interview without being paid huge sums of cash. He will also accept in payment secrets damaging to his enemies. He ends up being what he originally hated. Like all great main characters in all good stories, he changes from who he was at the beginning. Through the power of media, he becomes a digital Dorian Gray, an ugly reflection of what once was a beautiful, courageous person.

The documentary carefully gives credit to the original ideal of WikiLeaks, and shows the inevitable path of every idealistic rebel in history (except the American Founding Fathers, especially George Washington) who gains power then becomes what he hated...a corrupt person who puts the protection of acquired power ahead of all other goals.

The movie ends with an image of earth viewed from space, and questions of how we can save ourselves from this vicious cycle of idealism becoming corrupted with power. Every who views this movie with a political axe to grind gets disappointed. There are no heroes or villains in this movie. The documentary is an indictment of human nature, a problem they evoke clearly and with great skill. It's also a problem they don't attempt to solve, except by initiating a dialog.

To those wanted this movie to reflect their own political, moral or legal views, try setting aside your agenda and watching it again. This is a remarkably well made movie with balanced reporting. Their only agenda is telling the truth.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Weak and Disappointing

[5/10 · 15 January 2013]

Peter Jackson directing another Middle Earth movie? I was pumped. My disappointment started almost immediately, and never recovered.

The story moves much more slowly that the 3 previous Middle Earth movies. It takes over 40 minutes just to assemble the characters and move them out of the Shire. Has my racial prejudice against dwarfs been exposed? I just couldn't care about them as much as I did the Fellowhip. Gandolf is still Gandolf, and Ian McKlellen is very fun to watch. Strider/Aragorn is replaced by a sulking dwarf king. I did not really care if he got his kingdom back or not. Frodo and Sam are replaced by Bilbo, who is harder to care about than the younger Hobbits. Even the villains are weaker; the White Orc and his wolf/lions can't compare to Sauron, the Nine and the Nazgul. Only the character of Gollum improves, as a much more three dimensional character.

The quest is weaker, the characters are hard to care about, the story moves slower and even the battle scenes drag on and on. I watched it twice, just to make sure. To make more sure, I watched the original 3 Fellowship movies again. The Hobbit comes up short. (Pardon the pun.) It's half the movie of the original(s), so I give it a 5.

The Grey (2011)

Get Your Facts Straight

[4/10 · 3 March 2012]

Any movie with Liam Neeson is worth watching, but I couldn't get beyond the first half hour of this offensive movie. The first problem was the drunken buffoons representing a crew of oilfield professionals. These are prized jobs in Alaska, and these hand-picked crews are the best from all over the world. Liam Neeson's character says they were a collection of low-life assholes. Second problem was the plane crash. Unless you have something like Lost where there's a mystical force involved, the airplane's black box will broadcast where the crash site is located. Even in bad weather, the site would have been crawling with rescuers within hours. Liam Neeson's character takes charge, confidently asserting they were on their own. They camp outside the wreckage, then leave. Inside the wreckage, they would have been able to stay warm and safe. The final problem was the wolves. Wolves are the ancestors of modern dogs. They respect and fear humans. The giant creatures in the movie are like great white sharks with fur, mindless killers focused on making the crash victims a meal. If you have an IQ of 80 and can get past these insults to your intelligence, you may enjoy this movie. It's not badly shot, and the pacing was fine. Lian Neeson was excellent. However, anyone who has knowledge of Alaska, oilfields, airline safety protocol or wolves will be disappointed.