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PrinceBuster5
Lives in the Capital City, Canberra where it doesn't rain much & temps vary from -6 to 46.
Would prefer to be living back 'home' in the Philippines - sayang, kawawa ako dito.
I'm a Behavioural Support Specialist - sort of ended up in that somehow...?
My special area of interest is the Ostfront (Eastern Front) WW2, especially from 1944 - the end, as the Wehrmacht gradually disintegrated fighting a poorly conducted defensive war.
My 2 heroes are Rear-Admiral Sir David Martin RAN, a truly gifted, selfless & wonderful man who, as Governor of NSW, spoke at a public speaking event just hours before he died of mesothelioma (a lung cancer). He persuaded me to join the navy. Vale Sir David..
Also Oberst-General (Colonel-General) Gotthard Heinrici, the most brilliant defensive expert general of WW2, whose final command was the poison chalice of Commander of Heersgruppe Weischel (Army Group Vistula) in March 1945 to defend the Oder Front before of Berlin. He cared for his men but they were not only outnumbered by the Red Army 10 to 1, but had bugger all equipment or supplies, Hitler took away his only armoured reserves & his troops were largely inexperienced. He lost but in doing so became a legend & a hero to his men and me.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Pitching Love and Catching Faith (2015)
A Truly Dreadful Movie in Every Way
Possibly in the top 5 worst movies I have ever watched. Plot? If anyone can identify any sort of coherent plot in this stinker, please let me know. We have a 40yo guy, who hangs with cute early 20s girls, That's fine with me, but this was clearly a simply woeful miscast.
It flicks from one random scene or location to another totally unrelated one. Camera work & directing are terrible, There are maybe 5 of the cast who you think might be the main character for the first of the movie.
Even by Christian Movie standards, which are set very low, this film stinks like a week old piece of fish.
Fateful Findings (2013)
In what universe does this get a "4.7"???
Sure, I have a soft spot for Neil Breen, who doesn't, but his films are far and away the worst movies ever made with the intention that they are to be good. To be honest, I get enough Breen from The Cinema Snob.
Yes, of course I applaud someone with no training, budget or talent taking on Hollywood & doing _every_ possible role in the film. Actor, director, producer, writer, camera, promos - Neil Breen does it all. But very, very badly. So regardless of any soft spot for Neil, IMDB is meant to be serious, meaning that all of his 'films' are only worth 1 star.
A Little Piece of Heaven (1991)
OK, THE "EXCELLENT FAMILY FILM 10/10 IS A TROLL
This movie is quite amazing, and not in a good way. Drugging & kidnapping children, telling them they are dead and that Heaven is a pig farm whilst holding them captive there. And the guy who does it is the "hero"! WTF?
Horror flick? Well, no, it's actually a supposedly "Christian" movie, starring the infamous Kirk Cameron in his first role since "Growing Pains". He's gone on to do the classic "Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas", a MUST SEE for lovers of D grade movies like me.
I won't ruin the ending but whatever you're thinking, you're wrong.
Wheeler Dealers (2003)
There are two 'Wheeler Dealers', there should be two pages.
That is Brewer & Edd China then Brewer & no Edd China, and set in the US. One star refers to WD V2.0, ie the Discovery one, not the Attaboy Productions one.
Mike is on the record complaining that Edd "thought he was a TV star, not a mechanic". He was both Mike, but evidently you felt that only you were a 'true' TV star and there was only room for one. Strangely narcissistic outlook given that it is a TV show, not a VLOG from a mechanic's.
Problem is, Edd is a much more likeable person on TV and his bits of the show were easily the best. Brewer sure can talk a lot, but isn't actually very likeable as a human and it seems that the new "mechanic", Ant, was told to be as workmanlike & boring as possible so as not to upset Mike. That worked. V2.0 is a shadow of the early seasons, clearly being milked for every cent by Discovery despite its "best before" date having long since passed.
I'm sorry, but as a former fan I'd say to only watch the first twelve (yes, 12) seasons. They took the money over their true fans with V2.0
Game Theory: The Viner Invasion of Jake Paul and Logan Paul! (2017)
These brothers are a low point on Youtube
Jake & Logan Paul ("Viners"), as well the rest of 'Team 10', have worked out how to monetise Youtube by making a lot of poor content & aiming at children.
They deliberately try to be controversial, for example,hurling chairs around the house, burning furniture in an empty pool & they tell their followers where they live, meaning kids are invading the street. Their neighbours are making continuous complaints.
Recently, Jake was called out for promoting a gambling site to his young viewers in return for USD$100,000+! Rather than explain or apologise, Jake tried to laugh it off. Jake & Logan are a low point on Youtube and best avoided.
Talvisota (1989)
Wonderful film for many reasons.
I typically get excited when I see a big-budget picture which has been produced by a country whose language is not commonly spoken. Finland definitely qualifies here. These movies are made with extra care and attention to script and detail. Often they are quite long, since if you're going to do it, you may as well get a lot out of it. Talvisota is just such a film. Three hours long and superb quality from start to finish (Finnish?).
Firstly, the subject is not familiar to many. It is set in 1939 when Finland was invaded by the Red Army. Interestingly, the fact that the Finns did so well gave other countries (read Germany) an idea that the Red Army could be dealt with quite easily. What I find particularly fascinating in this film is the fantastic insight it gives into Finland and Finnish rural society of the time. Very detailed, equally interesting.
After watching this I recommend you watch "Tali Ihantala", a similarly excellent Finnish film about the "Continuation War", set in 1944 when the USSR again invaded. All in all, I can't speak highly enough of these two fine movies. Each deserves a nine.
Escape (1971)
Certainly worth a look...
This TV movie was actually the pilot for a series that never got made. I'm a bit surprised since this seems to be a pretty good example of the private investigator genre so popular around 1970.
The cast is pretty strong, with Christopher George, Avery Schreiber (Jack Burns' sidekick) and the B+ legend William Schallert. The mood is so funky 1970s that it is almost an historical document in parts.
Christopher G plays a former professional escape artist who is now a private investigator, and it is obviously pretty lucrative judging by his "cool pad, man". Avery S is his slightly dubious associate. They hang at a bar where, today, Penn & Teller would probably know quite a few people.
Some scenes are a bit silly, and we never really find out much about the scientific breakthrough that is the cause of all this skulduggery.
Nonetheless it is quite fun. You can catch it on YouTube since it has never been released to DVD. Have a look one night when you have a couple of spare hours.
The Last Ship (2014)
Sigh...What Might Have Been....
I SO wanted this show to be good. But, to cut a long, poorly written story short, it isn't.
The first episode was a worry, packed to the gun-whales as it were with clichés & a "monkey see, monkey do", oh-so derivative plot. Eric Dane, Pinocchio's little wooden brother, in the lead is cause enough for significant concern.
The second episode! That's where I thought things would really turn around. Sadly, not the case. We are treated, firstly, to a dirty Russian (or Eastern European, they're all the same right?) plotting against the good ol' USofA. Happily I think he is meant to be Australian, so at least WE salvage some pride from this shipwreck. Next we go to a God- bothering scene where I wanted someone, anyone, to say "Will somebody say AMEN!?!" like a circus tent US revival scene.
The wafer thin promo for the Navy of the USofA has all the dumb clichés we have come to expect. Then it seems that certain International citizens hold a grudge against the mercenaries who tortured them & the govt that paid for it! Go figure! Those ungrateful rotters!
All in all, this is such a massive disappointment that my conscience troubles me for giving it even ONE star. You were warned.
Tali-Ihantala 1944 (2007)
This a wonderful movie about a little-known war.
I really don't understand why this movie does not rate much, much more highly. It seems that Finns are the harshest critics. While they may have their reasons, for a wider audience I can't think of many better films on WW2. (I am Australian btw).
This is a detailed, gripping retelling of a little known war. The attention to detail is outstanding, whether it is the tanks, the scenes, the positions or the thinking behind it all. For a minor language film (sorry Finns but it is the case) it is particularly lavish in quality, scope & depth.
No, it is not a character drama. To be honest, the characters are only to hold the wider story together. If character drama is what you are after, look elsewhere or be disappointed. That is NOT what Tali- Inhatala is all about. I get the feeling that this movie was intended to be a statement for history & future generations - "this is what happened & how". It succeeds remarkably well in achieving this.
A superb movie & historical record. Very, very highly recommended.
Blood, Sweat & T-Shirts (2008)
This series is a gem!
A wonderful inside look at how the consumer goods we take for granted are actually produced.
Take six spoiled, entitled Brits and drop them into the garment industry in India to sink or swim. Clearly these people have never lived, or even visited, the developing world. From their shock at the basic living conditions to their umbrage at the working conditions, we see how they cope with being plonked into a developing world factory.
The girl of Indian descent seems to have no knowledge whatsoever of life in her parent's homeland. Everyone is taken aback at the strictness and discipline required of factory workers. Some adapt better than others, as you will see. Despite always having the 'parachute' of returning to their comfortable lives, the participants are visibly changed by what they experience.
This series is notable for introducing the world to the wonderful Stacey Dooley. Currently (as of 2014) the best investigative journalist in the world (IMO) we can see Stacey's inquisitive yet lovely nature shining through. The camera loves Stacey. Curiously, the producers didn't seem to know this before the series aired as Stacey is not even mentioned in the opening sequences.
As someone who has lived for a long time in the developing world I can whole-heartedly recommend this excellent series as compulsory viewing for anyone interested in how other people live. An easy 9/10.
84C MoPic (1989)
No question, the best Vietnam movie I've ever seen
84 Charlie MoPic shows us how to make a great war movie - it just takes a good story, great scripts, solid A-grade acting, good locations & fine camera work.
The docu-drama style complements the narrative brilliantly.
No big budget effects means the real story unfolds without punctuation. Every scene has a reason to be there & each one contributes to the story.
This is not only the best Vietnam movie I have ever seen, it is possibly the best small unit war movie ever made. The enemy is everywhere but nowhere - we only ever see one opposing soldier close up.
The characters are without exception very well done. The leads, Sgt GD, Easy & Lt are really well supported by the rest of this small cast. If you only ever watch one movie about Vietnam, make it this one.
Defying Gravity (2009)
Perfectly okay Sci-Fi....
That's what Defying Gravity is - perfectly okay Sci-Fi, meaning it is not outstanding but it's a perfectly fine way to drop a few leisure hours. Unfortunately it got canned after 13 episodes so the story (which was set to run for quite a long time) never got finished.
DG also has a perfectly okay cast, meaning solid, competent B+ crew. The overall plot is an interesting one but, as with too many USA Sci-Fi series, it gets way too deeply into interpersonal relationships and religion.
It seems that the ISO (International Space Organisation) apparently encourages intimate relationships between its cosmonauts, staff, instructor/student - in fact just about everyone. Just wildly inappropriate. Another example is when an astronaut really loses the plot and then we follow his (unrealistic) 'journey' afterwards.
ISO were even planning to send a married couple into space but when that fell through one of the couple's former lovers was chosen instead. Likewise on a previous mission the deputy's girlfriend was aboard (that didn't turn out well...). It seems almost everyone on board has tapped at least one of the other astronauts on the ship or in the support crews. Typically, real space etc agencies do not tolerate this - and for good reason. I wouldn't want to be in trouble aboard if a crew member had to choose between helping me or helping her/his husband/wife/lover.
Apart from the unbelievable sub plots, slightly irritating little bursts of 'inclusive' Spanish by Paula and the endless religious nonsense, this is solid "B" space-faring. I'd say this series hit Warp-3 on the scale.
Hell (2011)
Good but could have been great
I enjoyed Hell but found it a little frustrating as it could have been so much better. It would be fair to describe it as 'sparse'. The film's name wasn't translated (it would have been "Bright") but I think "Hell" was the correct choice there.
The basic idea is a nice twist on the usual post-apocalypse flick. It is not a big-budget action/adventure movie, instead relying on good scripts, creative direction & well-developed characters. Up to a point that is. It ends up being largely a vehicle for the popular German actress Hannah Herzsprung.
The characters were never really filled in, especially the two male leads. I thought Herzsprung was somewhat older 'til I checked IMDb & found she was only 30 when she made this. Most of the time in Hell she has a worried look on her face. She is really the only character developed at all.
I liked the idea behind the contrasting bleakness but in practice not so much. The lighting was either extremely exposed or extremely dark which I found annoying to look at after a while. Despite the extreme sunlight which has scorched the entire landscape no-one seems to get very hot, either in the car or running in lots of clothes.
I think if they had made it 15mins longer & fleshed out the characters a bit more it would have been better also. Worth watching however.
Space: 1999: The Full Circle (1975)
A pretty poor episode
Yes, I know that Space 1999 is silly if you examine it too closely. The moon regularly travels hundreds of light years then slows down for a grand & leisurely pass-by of yet another Earth-like planet.
However this episode has so many silly moments that it makes a regular Space 1999 episode look like a documentary. In fact I didn't realise they had been transported back in time 40,000 years til the end. But hang on, they were still in the present but were....oh, forget it. There's no possible explanation.
Now where to start? The fact that a crew disappears and then the rescue team has 1 (yes, one)Security team member. Then the crew wander around this probably dangerous planet without even carrying their staple guns.
The adorable Sandra mysteriously isn't sent back in time 40,000 years (to the present...). They also manage to source a very nice leopard fur for her from somewhere. The 'back-in-time'crew had wooden bowls, furs, tools & fire, even rituals and cave art! So they must have gone back a few years before the 40,000 years ago (present time) before going forward to the past then.....damn, I'm starting to get nosebleed thinking about it!
Only worth watching for completeness & seeing Sandra in a leopard fur. 6 stars is way too generous but I'm loathe to bag the series too much.
Batoru rowaiaru II: Chinkonka (2003)
What the hell just happened???
The parallels with Hunger Games are impossible to ignore. The first Battle Royale was superior to the "original" Hunger Games. Unfortunately in the sequels, whilst Hunger Games CF was not a great movie, BR2 is a pretty bad movie.
The plot is not so much different as more like an alternative story that was rejected for the first movie as being just too stupid, then dusted off and, unedited, put to film so as to quickly cash in on the success of BR. My "Cheesey Overacting" gauge, which hangs next to the screen, broke about 30mins in & never recovered.
I know that much Japanese cinema (and TV) is inexplicable to a non- Japanese audience but this film really crosses the line. So much is impossible to explain at all. Why use students if you really want the job done? Why does an apparently unsuccessful teacher of difficult students suddenly have free run and authority in a military HQ? Could the Rugby thing at the end have been any stupider? Could the constant pauses in the carnage for the 'characters' to have meaningful minutes be any more ridiculous? {no & no} Why do we never see an army guy who runs anything? Why do allegedly "tough" students constantly make such melodramatic and obviously poor decisions? And so on.
In BR1 we cared a little about the characters, in BR2 we don't as the action rushes past in a blur of gunfire & stupidity. It would have been so easy to just do a minor rework of the original and release another successful BR film, as the HG people did. Instead the makers, again inexplicably, fell on their swords and have pretty much killed the franchise. 4/10 is generous. It's atrocious drivel with pretty girls who largely get blown up.
Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben (1959)
An Important Film and Very Watchable
Made soon after the few survivors of Stalingrad returned home, wounds were still fresh & deep when this film was released just 14 years after the unconditional surrender. This film is important because was one of the first German post-war films to critically examine some very difficult & painful areas for the Germans.
Interestingly we never see Hitler's face - I'm sure there are a few reasons for that. The film addresses the lie that the Allies of Germany, Rumania (and Italy et al for that matter) were poor troops. They were good soldiers but were indeed poorly equipped & supported.
There have been criticisms for mis-matching of stock footage, incorrect tanks (T-34/86 instead of T-34/76) & subtitling. Most of this is minor, for example mistaking "Oberst-Leutenant" (Lt-Col) for "Oberleutenant" (Snr Lt) and mis-spelling General Hoth's name (as "Hooth"). The translating of "break-out" as "break ranks" is trivial. The actual footage spliced in may be of different battles but given the time & place this was made it seems a reasonable thing to do. In the end, getting squashed by a Russian tank or disintegrated by high explosive shells is much the same experience wherever you do it.
No, 14 years was not long enough for a deep introspection but this film made a solid start down that path. Well worth seeing. Look out for the exceedingly & implausibly beautiful Sonja Ziemann.
Breakfast of Champions (1999)
Interesting Companion to American Beauty....
The IMDb rating for this movie is really, really mystifying. Yes, it is a strange movie but then again, Bruce Willis is someone not afraid to reach, sometimes even beyond his own level as an actor. He certainly reaches here and gives a creditable performance in a very demanding role.
That Bruce likes to stretch himself is a good thing and means we have seen him at his best many times throughout his career. He is a self- made actor in many ways, perhaps similarly to George Clooney, he simply refused to not be successful. Contrast with Nicholas Cage - probably a better actor but plays it safe far too often with the result his filmography is the lesser.
But back to BoC. Willis is joined by a strong cast, in particular the wonderfully nutty Glenne Headly. Nick Nolte, not my favourite actor, is surprisingly strong as a stressed out salesman. Albert Finney is a strange actor - lots of talent but there doesn't seem to have been any movie that suits him other than Erin Brockovitch.
Yes, the movie is less detailed than the original Vonnegut book and this can make it bit spotty when it comes to understanding just exactly what is going on. But in a world of cookie-cutter films, BoC - for better & for worse - is decidedly not just another one.
The Purge (2013)
It's an Interesting Idea ...
...but then again a dancing pig telling jokes would be an interesting idea. This movie isn't THAT interesting.
It is a very USA-specific movie which draws heavily on that country's fascination with guns, crime & their constant fears of a decaying society. It was intended to explore the idea of what would happen if we could all do exactly as we like to anyone else without later sanction. Unfortunately there is little depth to any of the characters.
Counter-intuitively, a period of 12 hours occurs once a year when there are very few laws against violent crime. This is supposed to almost extinguish crime somehow. Weapons up to "Class 4" are permitted, whatever that means.
This movie is not very good, it has too many "Why don't they just...." moments where the characters act in an illogical, or even suicidal, way.
We have a version of the 'noble savage' in the form of a homeless black guy to kick the story off. We don't see much of him 'til the end where he acts predictably and is supposed to represent all that is good in people. We don't even learn his name. It just doesn't work. This guy is homeless yet in return for his acts of bravery he doesn't even ask for hospital treatment for his wounds? Maybe that's because his serious injuries were pretty much healed by the time he wanders off.
In fact, why stop with just him? Most of the characters do stupid things & some details are annoying. For example, with a super-HiTech home defence system there is a slot to open in the door for a chat? Wouldn't there be a video intercom for goodness sake? I wanted to scream on a few occasions "The gun, the gun!! Take the gun!!!" And it starts & stops exactly on time? Why? How the hell could the time limits be so strictly enforced?
It's an OK 80 mins. 5/10
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Spaceships were much cooler in the 50's!
Yep, they were. Red leather, lovely 30's inspired decor, a minimum of screens & flashing lights. In fact I consider the minimalist layout to be much MORE hi-tech than the cluttered ships we usually see. Much of the dreary stuff is hidden from view. It makes the film seem quite modern (sort of).
The Robinsons from "Lost in Space" shopped at the same Galactic Supa- Centre - they bought a scaled down ship, less expensive gear & a cheaper version of Robby but you can easily see the lineage.
The special effects must have seemed pretty excellent back in the day because they still look good. Nice laser shots, the monster is well done, all in all they did a really good job.
Sure, there are some holes in the plot but it isn't Shakespeare, it's a really good example of Science Fiction. Much, much better than I expected.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Top Cast & Script Makes For A Remarkable Film...
...so here are my remarks, well-deserved & long overdue for this magnificent film. Too often film-makers blow their budgets on SFX then seem to penny pinch by employing students to write the script. Thankfully that is not the case here. It is based around the daily torments & dubious sales practices of a fictitious Real Estate sales company.
This movie rests on the strength of its actors and the scripts crafted by excellent writers for their characters. With Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin & more there would be no excuse for turning out anything less than A class. I think it says a lot for the actors that they had the foresight to take roles in what must have at first look seemed like a low impact movie compared to much that is Hollywood.
I loved Glengarry Glen Ross, even though at times it can be hard to watch because you empathise so strongly with the characters. It can make you squirm. As a former sometime Real Estate Agent here in Australia I'm glad to report that it in now way even slightly reflects the truth about most Real Estate Agents' techniques & ethics here. What it does do is dramatically show the tension of always being on the edge, of always needing the next sale to stay in the race. And it is a race.
It isn't on Free-To-Air often even though here the strong language wouldn't cause any legal problems, unlike some other places. I strongly recommend it to pretty much anyone who considers themselves drawn to script based movies. 9/10 (PS: Why doesn't IMDb include Aust/UK/NZ etc spelling?)
Away All Boats (1956)
Strong cast, well worth watching
At the opening scene this movie feels like a wartime morale flick but it quickly moves past that. I like that it gives us a story that is seldom told, namely that of a heavy troop landing ship. Reminds me of the HMAS Tobruk I spent some time on in the 80s.
The "Belinda" is a work boat, not a glamorous warship & the spartan conditions aboard reflect that. As the ship was newly built it is reasonable that the sets all look spic'n'span.
Overall it is a well made war film with a strong cast of good character actors. As others note, special effects clearly developed quite quickly in the 1945-55 period. Time well spent.
U-571 (2000)
Smurfs defeat Germans at Stalingrad 1942!
No, not really. And the USA didn't capture or break the German enigma code machine either. The Poles, Brits & Canadians did. This isn't a bad movie technically but it really goes down with all hands as a result of the wild & wacky re-interpretation of REAL history. I'm horrified to think people might see this and say "aha, so that's how it happened..."
Rather than taking inspiration from Das Boot - a recognised milestone in the depiction of submarine warfare - the director (who doesn't deserve to be named) actually claimed that his movie was more real. Yeah, right up there with "The Smurfs at Stalingrad". There are some good US submarine films, like 1958 "Run Silent, Run Deep", and this could have been, but isn't, one of them.
Knowing (2009)
I enjoyed it but...
...there are a number of holes in the story. Still worth a look and the closing scene has some absolutely first-rate special effects.
Firstly, that girl sure could hustle her writing - she got all that down in the time the others drew a flying saucer and a puppy dog.
Secondly, you would have had to consider it was all a hoax. I'm a big Penn & Teller fan so my first thought would be that someone had already been to the time capsule & put that page in. Elaborate, sure, but more likely than the list being real.
Thirdly, his scientific colleague at the observatory was way too off- hand in looking at the data. One might be a coincidence, even a few, but so many matches? Not really plausible it was just random chance. Why didn't he realise it was either an elaborate hoax or really, really weird? Either way it deserved a closer look.
Lastly, assuming that human history has an end point, what were the numbers the boy was so feverishly writing down?
Nicholas Cage has gone the way of Jason Statham, or Wesley Snipes as an extreme, in that he does so many very ordinary movies now that he can command the big bucks. This is better than many he's done recently but you can see Cage never changes gear out of 1st.
[Rec]² (2009)
Really, really disappointing.
I was hoping for quite a lot after the first, especially since this was picking up the story just hours after the first {Rec} movie's ending.
I was massively disappointed. The plot never delivered & the camera work was very annoying. Why was the building in the dark? Wouldn't the authorities have ensured the SWAT/Research team had electric lights? I found the very forced darkness with torch beams to be a highly irritating feature of this.
Having your main characters wearing full body armour with helmets means that often you are left wondering "who the hell IS that???" 'til they spoke a name. The religious angle was possibly better in the Spanish but in English translation it was just plain stupid.
Even now I think I may have rated this tripe too heavily with a "4". Don't waste 90 mins of your time on this is my advice.
[Rec] (2007)
Good but irritating in parts...
{Rec} is another shaky-cam zombie-style mockumentary, this time from Spain. The story line is essentially same same as Quarantine the English language remake. It starts off badly - yes REALLY badly - when a lightweight TV reporter & cameraman go to a fire station for an "insider's look" but after a few minutes the fire trucks and the story get going.
Whilst I enjoyed most of it there were lots of times when I just wanted to scream "For heaven's sake, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't shake the **** camera so much!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
Then other times when I wanted to scream "Shut the f*** up!!!" and slap her as the reporter would just keep talking & talking & talking & talking & talking...well, you get the idea... to the extent it really got on my goat.
So, not brilliant, not bad - that's {Rec}.