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traci515
Reviews
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries: Sole Survivor (1978)
zenfrodo-970-911469 was right!
Zenfrodo-970-911469, the previous commenter, is 100% right. Every time the Hardy Boys was on, I was right there at the TV watching my first crush, Shaun Cassidy (his was the first concert I attended, too). This episode, out of all of them, has stuck in my mind for 40+ years, and I wound up here while checking to see if my memory of the plot was correct. It wasn't quite right (I wasn't even 10 yet, and now I'm 53, so I'll give myself a break on having a fuzzy memory of the episode.), but I remember being so distressed (not crying, but upset) about Joe being in a coma then grieving for Frank and his dad that it imprinted itself on my brain. Who cared about plot twists when Shaun Cassidy was in danger)?
BuzzFeed Unsolved: True Crime (2016)
Come for the cases, stay for the delivery
While this series does cover true crime cases - both well-known and more obscure - the main reason to watch is how the overview of the cases are delivered. The hosts, Ryan and Shane, are incredibly funny and sarcastic, and the rapport between the two is great. The episodes are short, so you're just going to get the basic facts regarding the mysteries covered, but even for the episodes featuring more "popular" cases, they're worth watching because of the new way that the information is delivered.
Watergate Plus 30: Shadow of History (2003)
Engrossing & informative narrative of the Watergate scandal
Although I was only a 4 years old when the Watergate hearings were held, I can still remember how "that show" was "always" on TV at my house, and can even recollect when Nixon was on TV announcing that he was resigning; but of course, I had no understanding of anything going on. Through 12 years of private school and 4 years of college, taking both required and elective classes in US History, I was taught nothing of Watergate. In retrospect, i realize now that none of those classes even touched on the Korean War, let alone any events in the 1960s, 1970s, or more recent; it seemed that we always ran out of time. I include my backstory only to emphasize how much I learned from this documentary - the events that transpired, how those involved behaved both before and during the hearings, how the President's paranoia destroyed his presidency in spite of his foreign successes in the USSR and in China, etc. - and in many cases, was able to hear how the 30 years between the acts that took place and the interviews for this documentary afforded the participants the opportunity to reflect on their behavior and the ramifications of that behavior, for themselves, for the president, and for the country. I've watched it several times to try to see all of the details, and I heartily recommend it to others.
Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Movie (2011)
Good Documentary for a Casual Fan
I enjoyed this movie as an overview of the martial arts film genre; however, I must admit that I'm just a casual fan who watches these movies when I encounter them on TV but doesn't really seek them out. I recognized most of the names of the major artists covered in this film and did come away with more respect for the performers and their craft. That being said, if I'd been a devoted follower of the genre, I would've been disappointed. Even I could tell that it only skimmed the surface of martial arts films, focusing primarily on those featuring names recognizable to the American film-goers. I liken it to being a big fan of a music group who's happy that the group is finally being recognized in commercials, soundtracks, etc., but disappointed that only the group's most popular songs are used time and time again, while the lesser known, but often superior, songs are ignored.
On a final note, I found the narration and little animation shorts inserted between the film clips really poor and simplistic. I would've appreciated the film more if it had been narrated by an actual participant in the martial arts genre and if the simplistic animation segments were deleted entirely.