kdowling Reviews

Borat (2006)

a A depressing indication that we really have become a hateful society.

[1/10 · 13 November 2006]

The real joke is audience reaction to this 84 minute ethnic joke. I am not certain if this is was intended, but this movie demonstrates that we really have not progressed beyond the < Polish, Irish, Jewish, Italian, ETC., > joke. The humor of the movie is really low and basically a continuous barrage of cheap humor.

It is really pathetic that people still waste their time and money on this crap, but it seems that excrement, nudity, broken English and ethnic slurs are still funny to adults.

While others may hail this as a great picture, I just find it a depressing indication that we really have become a hateful society that demeans anyone that is different.

The Charmings (1987–1988)

Good Show done in by PC ratings

[17 September 2004]

"The Charmings" was a well written and well acted show. There were jokes on many levels. Both children and adults found them funny for different reasons. Many episodes satirized the faulty aspects of our society which we accept without question. Since the characters were people from a "happily ever after" reality, they considered the failings of our world challenges to be overcome. So the real life wisdom of classic stories was part of every episode.

It was rare to see such thought put into the writing of any show. It is even rarer now (2004) since TV producers want easily written "real life" shows which teach nothing about real life.

Sadly "The Charmings" was killed by ratings. It was far better than the stereotypical, repetitive rubbish that was scheduled against it.

King Arthur (2004)

would rather have had a root canal

[1/10 · 10 July 2004]

This sappy waste of time really was a waste of the talents of the cast. Not only was the dialog stilted and plot contrived, much of the key information is nonsense.

Pelagius is presented as Arthur's mentor and as an teacher of human personal liberty. His widest audience was in fact Roman nobility because his erroneous doctrine of salvation by personal force of will became an excuse for maintaining the Roman class system. Germanus of Auxerre, who is depicted as a villain in this movie, was, in fact, petitioned by the Britons to come to clean out the Pelagians. According to some sources, the Priest who accompanied Germanus would eventually be known as St. Patrick of Ireland. So the depiction of the assistant Priest by the movie-makers is especially off the mark.

For historical accuracy of the known persons and philosophy of the period AND just being a badly made film, this merits an F.

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

Classic Morality Fable

[10/10 · 21 June 2004]

Well written story in the style of classic thought stimulating SF. Not the usual "explain everything" drivel that fills the screens in 2004.



I do not want to provide any spoilers, but this episode of what I hope will be a series of consistent good tails illustrates the key issues of any confrontation and any attempt to use evil for good.

The story is not the chew-em-up of "Pitch Black". It is good to know the story so you know the characters, but even so one can catch on to their nature rather quickly without that chapter of the story.

The obvious question is: what next? Hope there is a "next" chapter. Sadly the critics have generally missed the point of this story and excused their own lack of attention by slamming this film. Don't let them scare you off: see this film.

Congratulations to all involved.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

Still Amazing

[10/10 · 27 April 2004]

In 1988 after a showing of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", a child complained "That was the worst movie I ever saw". My eight year old daughter's reaction was "What the hell happened to that child's childhood? She has no sense of awe or imagination!" I agreed. I saw the film again yesterday. I agree more than ever.

Gilliam's film is a hymn to the power of imagination and its power to triumph. Contrary to what the Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson (not to be confused with America's Munchausen like hero, Horatio N. Jackson), we can go to the moon; we can challenge death. Without imagination, we would have accomplished none of those things.

With all the rubbish that is passed off as truth by the popular press, politicians and their spin doctors, this film is a necessary reminder that we do not have to give such lies a moments thought. The Turks were turned back when they came to Vienna. Only hope could accomplish that. Whatever the Jacksons of this world may do to us to force us to follow their mediocre lead, our minds are free.

Most Rev. Maelruain K. Dowling

8 Women (2002)

Boring, waste of time

[1/10 · 1 September 2003]

This is not a successful "comeback" film for any of the senior cast.

Unless they are dead between the ears, I cannot believe that those involved made this for any reason other than to fulfill a contract. If this is not the case, caution is advised when approaching anything involving the participants.

Spirited Away (2001)

Great Film: No distribution: Disney wins Dopey Award

[9/10 · 6 December 2002]

"Spirited Away" is one of the best fables filmed. Audiences seem to know this, yet Disney has neither advertised it nor made a serious effort to distribute it in the United States. This lack of effort merely encourages comparison of this work to other Disney offerings. The last film that Disney did of this calibre is Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937). Atlantis may have come close, but Spirited Away puts it and other Disney efforts of the last sixty years to shame.

It has a good story line grounded in some very important ideas. It is a classic fable and hard to believe it is all from the mind of a 20th century writer, Hayao Miyazaki. I look forward to his future efforts: they will be worthwhile.

It is worth a long drive to see Spirited Away.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Staggeringly Real

[10/10 · 23 November 2002]

This anime is one of the greatest films ever made. It could easily be ranked with films like "Broken Blossoms" by D.W. Griffith (1919). It is a classic tragic play. One not only sympathizes with the characters, but through the skill of all involved in making this work, one identifies with them. Their misfortune becomes your misfortune. It is your misfortune, for as the film points out: nations that are enamored of their destiny do not care about people, especially those too young or too weak to fight. The consequences of their do not fall on those responsible, but upon the innocents, the children.

It is also a film about the unconquerable nature of the innocent spirit: the downtrodden children are more alive than those who are not starving. They experience life, they do not merely pass through it. Even in their misfortune, their destiny is eternal.

Do not pass this film by. See it and think about its message.

Annie Laurie (1927)

A rarely seen gem.

[8/10 · 20 October 2002]

A copy of this film was recently found and restored by the U.S. Library of Congress. It is well written, directed, acted and filmed. It is about the need to end cycles of vendettas and the courage required to say that you will not allow the cycle of death and hatred to continue. It is about the fact that humans by nature are loving and that only a perverse heart hates indefinitely. This is a story about courage and the cowardice of people who misuse power to their own petty ends.

Some dangerous stunts from a time in which leads did their own stunt work. Miss Gish's fall down a mountain face might not have been as dangerous as jumping around on ice flows as in Way Down East. Yet it reminds us of a time when actors no only did their own stunts in uncontrolled environments but COULD ACT as well!

The Red Violin (1998)

The Best Film of 1998

[10/10 · 4 October 2001]

This is not a light-weight, commercial or formula, film. It is a brave journey into the human soul. The "damsel in distress" is an inanimate object, the Red Violin. It evokes varied, sometimes profound, emotional reactions from all who see it for what it is.

There are many fine performances, especially by Samuel L. Jackson. Excellent direction.