digitalbookworm5678 Reviews

Pulp Fiction: The Golden Age of Storytelling (2009 Video)

Sadly skewed rating

[9/10 · 16 December 2023]

This short documentary gives a very good overview of the pulp magazines that were popular from the 1910s to the 1940s. It covers the different genres, but concentrates on Science Fiction.

The shame of this low rating (4.9 in 2023) can be blamed on the hatred many feel for L. Ron Hubbard. I'm no apologist for the Church of Scientology. I think it's as crazy as most other people think. But there's no exaggeration in what this documentary says about Hubbard. He was one of, if not the most, prolific of all writers of that period. His stories sold because of his abundant imagination.

Contrary to what another reviewer "suspects", there is absolutely no connection between The Church of Scientology and the makers of this documentary.

Becoming Truly Human (2017)

Misinformative propaganda.

[1/10 · 22 April 2022]

I don't think I've ever read a more misleading blurb about a documentary before. I'm not going to mince words here.

THERE ARE NO "NONES" IN THIS FILM.

I should have realized what I was getting into when I saw that there were no known atheists listed in the credits. All the people interviewed here questioned their religion at one time and then came back to it.

Apologetics 101 Wish I had looked up the director's info before I started watching this. I wouldn't have had to write this review.

L'attrape-Salinger (2007 TV Movie)

Many Fans - Some Obsessed

[7/10 · 30 August 2013]

If this was made just to put another documentary under the belt of Jean- Marie Perier, then I probably would have given it a 2 or 3 rating. I'd like to believe that this is the story of true obsession. French writer Frederic Beigbeder like many writers, considers J.D. Salinger's Catcher in The Rye his biggest influence. The fact that Salinger is a recluse living in the backwoods of New Hampshire bothers Beigbeder to no end. He makes plans to attempt a meeting with Salinger, to express his love of Catcher in The Rye. Starting in France and working his way to New York, the writer interviews others who have been influenced by Salinger's work. Some come right out and tell him that he's making a big mistake in not honoring Salinger's right to privacy.

I gave this a 7 because of the history lesson we get along Beigbeder's journey. I learned quite a bit about Salinger from this film, from his life in New York to his quiet retreat to New Hampshire where he is protected by his neighbors who have adopted him.

All in the Family: Sammy's Visit (1972) Season 2, Episode 21

The most MEMORABLE episode!!!

[10/10 · 23 July 2013]

If not the best episode ever, this has to be the most memorable episode of All In The Family ever filmed. Archie comes home from his second job as a taxi driver to announce that none other than Sammy Davis Jr. rode in his cab. This episode probably holds the record for the amount of times Archie sticks his foot in his big(oted) mouth. Even before Sammy Davis makes his appearance, Archie proves that he will never understand black people, let alone black celebrities.

This episode was the only one written by the comic genius Bill Dana. For those old enough to remember, "My name... Jose Jimenez". It was the most popular comic character of the early 60s. I remember listening to the LPs "Live from The Hungry i" and "In Orbit" over and over when I was a kid. I'm sure Bill Dana and Sammy Davis Jr. were very good friends from their years of working in Las Vegas. Dana's writing and Davis's acting (as himself) made perfect use of Archie's character to make socially relevant statements.

There's good reason why this episode is consistently rated in TV Guide's "Top 100 Television Episodes of All Time."

The Last Big Thing (1996)

Bizarre and unique!!

[9/10 · 28 March 2013]

Type in counter culture as a keyword here at IMDb and you'll get lots of documentaries and a few good movies. (By rating this comes up # 61) But nothing comes up when you type in anti culture or anti pop culture. That's where this movie belongs. There's nothing out there to compare this to.

Simon Geist hates everything Pop. It's all evil. He goes about proving this by degrading rock bands, actors, comics and models in a imaginary magazine titled The Next Big Thing. People want to be The Next Big Thing so he does his best to make sure they aren't. Adored and revered by his platonic girlfriend Darla. She hopes she's the only one to understand him. And she is, until Tedra the model comes along and spoils everything.

This indie film stands alone, like Simon Geist. Surrounded by the banal, mundane, cliché world of big budget box office success. Writer/Director/Actor Dan Zukovic created a bizarre and unique character and took it to the limit. Great soundtrack too.

Jack Goes Boating (2010)

The play must have been great!

[9/10 · 23 January 2013]

Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut and the only one so far.

As an old man who been out of the "dating scene" for some time, I could completely sympathize with Jack. Being set up with a blind date and not knowing what to expect. Some say the pace of this film was too slow. It's about being in no hurry, like dating used to be (a long time ago). Clyde and Lucy, Jack friends, are in a long relationship. Jack sees them as happy and he sees in Connie his chance to be like them. He slowly woos her, ready to change almost everything about himself to succeed. When he finds out he has won her heart, he's not surprised it's nothing like his friends' relationship at all. Clyde and Lucy have a few problems that Jack becomes aware of throughout the movie. (Things he really didn't want to know.) After the dinner scene I waited for the line either Jack or Connie could have said, "I don't want us to be like them".

Scouts Honor (2009)

A bad practice in the art of improv.

[2/10 · 9 August 2012]

This story revolves around three brothers that have been "Tiger" Scouts for 10 to 20 years. Their father, the camp leader, has decided he is going to run away to join their mother. One of the inept brothers is going to lead the "Tiger" Scout camp. That story in itself might have made a funny premise for a comedy. Chris Kattan, normally very funny, flops in this film.

I'm reminded of the TV show "Who's Line Is It, Anyway" This whole film looks like an improvisational piece. Some of the jokes work, but most fall flat on their face. It's as though they were given the premise of each scene 10 seconds before the camera rolls. Maybe if they had taken the time to do more than one take on each scene it would have worked better. I was able to sit through this whole film. I'm sure I'll never watch it again.

The Big Year (2011)

A surprising gem of a film. For nature and drama lovers.

[9/10 · 10 July 2012]

What a surprising little movie. With Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson, I expected something more slapstick and a lot less cerebral. I'm a little disappointed at the low IMDb rating here. There are hidden depths to this gem.

Family, business and relationship problems abound for those who only want to watch and count birds. Their behavior is borderline obsessive compulsive. But they grow into new and better people through the film. Some very touching moments near the end of the film make this a must see for drama and nature lovers.

The nature photography is excellent. I used to do some birdwatching myself years ago. This film made me want to do it again.

True Otaku (2011)

8/10 Full of interesting details of Japanese pop culture.

[8/10 · 9 July 2012]

I had heard of, but not been a great fan of Anime, Manga and a few other Japanese culture crazes. I'm a little old for CosPlay (costume play). But I did watch Speed Racer after school when I was 12-13. This nice little documentary will teach you everything in Japanese culture that has become a small division of American Culture. An Otaku is an non-Japanese who is at least slightly obsessed with one or more aspects of Japanese culture.

You didn't know that? Neither did I, and they have conventions. This year ('12) marks 19 years of OTAKON in Baltimore, which was this films setting. I was reminded of Trekkies and players of D+D, Comic-Cons and Star Wars Conventions while watching this. It's fascinating. The lengths some people go to, in pursuit of all things Japanese.