MiserblOF Reviews

Killing Eva Braun (2014 Video)

Ridiculous

[3/10 · 17 March 2015]

Can't believe I just sat through this thing. Forget the NC-17 rating, which makes no sense at all. I can't spoil this film because it can't be spoiled. I gave it a 3 because there were no scenes that appeared upside down and no edits that made the film skip. Other than that I can't say enough bad stuff about this thing. Somebody please argue with me, because I'd love to hear what it was I missed.. Okay, I have to put more lines of text. There must be some kind of deep meaning to having a Hitler with no mustache. I guess that was too deep for me. What else? I don't know. I'm trying to think of the last film I saw that was this bad, and perhaps Dana Andrews in "Hot Rods to Hell" might do it. I paid three bucks to watch this thing, I, think, so I sat through it. Hope that's enough lines.

OK.. I just found out about the mustache. I won't "spoil" that one.

Lonesome Dove (1989)

The Greatest Television Event in history.

[10/10 · 26 February 2014]

This is the best that TV can possibly be. I would put it a notch above the other two contenders, "The Honeymooners," and the remarkable HBO series, "The Wire." The acting is superb, the story is a great one, and the cast is phenomenal. This is on my short list of a dozen or so things I watch once a year. The greatest. I am adding to this now because they require ten lines of text, so this is all addendum, but the list of outstanding character actors in this miniseries superb. Angelica Huston is great in the role of Gus' ex love, a warm and giving human being with some fire in her heart and tongue. Chris Cooper, is always outstanding in any role. Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duval are perfect.

NET Playhouse: An Enemy of the People (1966) Season 1, Episode 9

Global Warming - local version?

[9/10 · 23 February 2010]

It has been so long since I read the original play, I can't comment on how true Miller's adaptation is to Ibsen's original, but it certainly packs a powerful punch and is particularly relevant to the current phony "debate" about global warming. The insidious levels of corruption that are unearthed and exposed throughout the play are frightening as well as plausible. Modern parallels abound, but the most obvious are the so-called "debates" about the dangers of smoking that took place a half century or so ago, and the global warming scream fest that is going on today, as science continues to conflict with the economic gains of a rapacious and powerful few. The mayor's threat to force the taxpayers of the community to pay for the misdeeds of his business has its parallels in today's world as well. The motives of the good doctor appear to be completely altruistic (if a little too self congratulatory) at the start of the play, but even they come under enough fire by the end to leave some doubts. And of course, the doctor's faith in human nature as it relates to the thirst for science and knowledge is shattered. This story captivates in a way that is almost impossible to put into words. If the doctor were a politician, he would have known how to better act under the circumstances, but if he were a politician, would he by necessity have been as corrupt as his brother? Is there an inherent corruption even in acquiring the skills? What if doing the right and noble thing brings ruin upon your family and friends?

It Happens Every Spring (1949)

Not on DVD., VHS is out of production

[9/10 · 9 January 2007]

This is one of my favorite films from my childhood. I love to watch it in March, just before the baseball season begins. Milland is outstanding as the quiet, studious college instructor who has a slight case of "spring fever", except it "lasts all summer." If this film were made today there'd be a lot of pseudo-moral outrage about the message that cheating is OK, etc. etc. Probably there would also be grumbling about a college teacher having a romance with a student, but this movie is innocent and funny. Paul Douglas was outstanding, as always, playing the catcher/roommate.

This film should be on DVD. It's outrageous that it it isn't.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

This Film should be shown in every classroom in America.

[10/10 · 6 January 2007]

This is a truly important documentary, showing an intelligent, articulate and passionate leader doing his best to EDUCATE the people as to the imperative of addressing this global threat to humanity.

Unlike such media-hyped threats to humanity as "World Communism", "Islamo-Fascism", "Global Terrorism" and the like, there are no mega-corporations with their hands in the cookie jar to hype this threat beyond reality. In fact, the threat is so pervasive, and on such a scale that the others I listed are trivial in comparison. There are no quick bucks involved, no government handouts as are prevalent in the "defense industry" and thus, as Mr. Gore points out, the corporate media has been falsely claiming that there is scientific debate as to whether or not global warming exists, and as to whether or not human activity is causing it. Mr. Gore points out, quite accurately, that this is false reporting - in fact a complete distortion of the views of the scientific community on this issue.

Gore also shows that the kind of doubt being inculcated by the corporate media parallels the intentional spreading of doubt by the tobacco industry after the discovery of proof that cigarettes were the greatest cause of lung cancer.

Anyone who sees this film, who sees the evidence of the need for fast and decisive action on OUR part and ignores it, will certainly get what he or she deserves.

Caligula (1979)

It Stunk Then, It Stinks Now

[1/10 · 5 October 2006]

Okay, I tried to be fair. I looked at the cast which includes some very talented actors, the writer who is supposed to be a intellectual giant of sorts.. I saw this film in the movies, and it stunk. I saw the r-rated VHS version and it stunk, and now, I dumbly rented the "unrated" DVD and it was, I believe very much longer, but stunk just as much. I thought perhaps over a quarter century, I would have grown to appreciate this film more. I do not. Please understand that I have nothing against sex on screen, or nudity on screen or just about anything else on screen, as long as it all comes together and makes a good film. This film is not a good film. It is a real, first class stinkeroo. If I had to pick one film to show to a class (an adult class) as an example of how to make a terrible film, this would be it. I wonder, did John Gielgud or Peter O'Toole ever publish any comments on this film? It would be interesting, I think, to hear their comments. If you have a chance to rent this film, rent the R-rated version, because I think (at least if memory serves me) that it is mercifully, shorter.

If you want to watch a low budget film along similar lines, that is not quite as bad as this one, (but still very bad indeed) you might try the less awful "Warrior Queen", which is also, mercifully, shorter. It has lots of nudity and death, but no Gielguds or O'Tooles to waste in its making. They claim that "Caligula" is historically accurate. Perhaps it's true to some extent, but if so, it's a story not worth watching.

Moon Over Parador (1988)

So it wasn't the greatest picture ever made.

[7/10 · 17 May 2006]

I enjoyed this film. It was funny, cute, silly, and entertaining. Had a fine cast and really got hammered by some critics for reasons that I truly don't understand. No, it wasn't "The Grapes of Wrath" or "Casablanca" or even "Moonstruck", but it was an enjoyable film.

Julia was excellent playing the psychotic 'man behind the man'. The story is a little silly to be sure, but it this isn't high drama, folks. I happened to see a review of the film, probably the only good one it got and then ran into it one night when looking for a movie. I never heard it was supposed to stink until after I saw it, and I'm glad I saw it. Eventually bought the VHS tape on the bargain pile, and I watch it a couple times a year.

Casablanca (1942)

Simply, "The Greatest."

[10/10 · 16 May 2006]

I haven't looked at the IMDb list of the "best", but the idea of "Casablanca" being FIFTH is preposterous. This is, without a doubt, the most perfect movie ever made. The only criticism that might make any sense at all would be that when compared with modern films, it doesn't have great special effects. But then, it's not a "special effects" picture, and the cardboard cutout airplane with midgets working on it was a stroke of genius in itself.

The story of the making of the movie that appears on the DVD is very interesting- the plot evolving during the shooting, writers coming and going and coming back again, the last minute (and beyond) work on the ending.

The cast is outstanding, the sets are perfect, everything about this timeless classic works. Watching this film, to me, is an almost religious experience into the capabilities of the human species to use fiction to show the best and worst that we humans can be. And they almost gave the lead male role to REAGAN?

Number FIVE? Give me a break.