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Rox73
Reviews
Twisted Seduction (2010)
Stumbled upon this gem on Youtube
Here's a plot that has been covered a few times over the years - Stockholm syndrome. As creepy as the guy is (he really did his homework in stalking her before kidnapping her), I eventually found myself rooting for him over the course of the movie. And at the same time, right now, right after I finished watching it, I feel ashamed of myself for falling into the all too obvious trap. I don't know what to make of it.... maybe I should see a therapist. But the point is that this low budget movie, these first time actors and first time director (if I understand correctly) kept me glued to the screen the whole time. And I get easily bored with movies if they don't hold my interest, especially in the beginning.
Great job! p.s. I friggin' hated 50 Shades of Grey.
Whiplash (2014)
Big Boy Tempo
As a student of classical music for 20 years I have always been in AWE of jazz musicians. I love jazz, I love listening to it, love the sense of humor it has, the style, the spirit and yes, the tempo - jazz is way more complex than your normal, every day music whether it's classical, rock or whatever. Whatever people think about the brutality or how music teachers push their students towards greatness is really not the point to me. The point is that it takes extreme discipline to reach perfection. How does one measure perfection? The only measure I know myself is if I get goosebumps when listening to a performance and if I hear that Big Boy Tempo without any hiccups. This movie and its music gave me goosebumps. Simple as that.
So 10/10 stars here - no ifs or buts about it.
Imagine (2012)
I wonder what a blind person would think about this film
I don't know anyone who is blind and I have never interacted with blind people. Edward Hogg was a very convincing blind person (as far as my limited knowledge of blindness goes). Great actor with a lot of charisma. "They look but they don't see" - yes, that should be written on the foreheads of most of us who aren't blind. I think I will appreciate the sounds and scents of life a little bit more from now on after seeing this excellent film - a subject not many have covered in show business. What I would want to know though, is it possible for a blind person to fine tune their other senses so much that they don't need a cane or a dog?
Men of a Certain Age (2009)
Awesome show
It's a real shame they cut this one short in the middle of an avalanche of mediocre vampire- cop- CSI - whatever TV shows that have no substance.
Here's a show that normal people who are middle-aged can relate to and I think younger people can too, not just because it has substance and a sense of humor but also because we will ALL get there. We all grow older. As a 40-something woman I'm not particularly interested in watching brainless 20-something's TV shows anymore.
I loved each and every episode so thank you for trying Ray Romano. You hit the nail right on the head. It's just a shame these people at TNT are so disconnected from reality that they have no idea what us normals want to watch.
Btw. the music was awesome
Breaking the Waves (1996)
Brainwashing of religion and emotional abuse of the innocent
I don't know why people see this as a great love story. There is nothing loving or beautiful about how Jan forces his wife (who is clearly not quite "all there") to succumb to his perverse fantasies to gain some power back after he's paralyzed. Classic domestic violence if I ever saw it. Just because he's not hitting her doesn't mean he's not abusing her in the worst possible way.
It's also pretty sickening to watch just how ugly religion can get and how fundamentalist christians (most religions, not just christians) could treat an innocent like Bess. A person who is good all the way but also who is probably with an IQ in the lower ranges. Organized religion really IS the root of all evil in this world because humans are the way they are.
A male dominated, fundamentalist religious world where violence (sexual and emotional) is the main focus is portrayed very well in this raw movie. Stellan is awesome as always.
Very good movie and definitely recommended. I just don't get why all the reviews are about this being a love story, but that's just me.
Polyamory: Married & Dating (2012)
I root for polyamory just like I root for gay marriage
First of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of the brave individuals who were on this show. I've never been much into reality TV but this lifestyle fascinates me for some reason. I'm married in a mono marriage but I think all consenting adults should have REAL freedom to choose how to live their private lives without society's judgment.
Anyway, I have watched all seven episodes now but I loved the last one the most. Seeing the triad make the commitment was just breathtaking and beautiful. Congratulations to everyone involved. Your love really shines through every obstacle you have faced - great communication, clear boundaries and excellent problem solving skills too. Something many married mono couples could pay more attention to.
I didn't connect with the others. Seems like things were pretty fragile at best. But life isn't perfect and married life certainly isn't either. That said, what stood out to me and felt disturbing was how Jen almost never seemed to be allowed to be who she is. Episode after episode it looked like something was forced on her and she always ended up being the one to apologize and back down from what she was feeling. She was pushed way too far way too quickly, and not just by her husband. Then the way her hand was forced behind her back was disguised behind words about how she was "growing". I'm sorry you guys but poly or not - you could benefit a lot from reading up on emotional abuse. No one should have to compromise their personality to fit someone else's. Compromise is key to any good relationship yes. Compromising one's personality isn't. Especially not in a four-people household. I know I don't know anything about this lifestyle but in ALL lifestyles, something like that should never be tolerated. I'm not saying she shouldn't have to work on her insecurities - all I'm saying is that she seems like a more vulnerable and sensitive person than the rest of you and she should be allowed to be that way. Maybe she needs you to be more considerate of that, not the other way around.
All in all a really good show and a great addition to the fight for human rights in general. You guys really are brave pioneers who have come out to this extremely conservative world we live in and I salute you for showing it all - weaknesses and strengths of poly relationships. You're ALL an inspiration to me even if I didn't connect completely with all of you.
Año bisiesto (2010)
Humanity at its rawest
Laura is a normal woman, living in a normal apartment, has a normal job, is normal looking but is abnormally depressed.
It's never verbalized but her obsession with the day her father died combined with when she tells Arturo when she lost her virginity (12 years old) and then how she says "it's none of your business" when he asks her who with - is a dead giveaway, to me at least, that it was at her father's hands. The long silences between her answers and the questions give it away too.
This is the heart of the movie - her painfully normal life combined with her painfully abnormal obsession with submissive sex and her father's death, as well as his highly probable molestation of her. All of that dictates her ultimate goal; to die on February 29th., the same day her father died. She plans on manipulating Arturo's weakness for dominance and BDSM, thus having him do the deed for her. Probably because suicide is a sin for Catholics. All the little but strategically placed details like a picture of Mary, Laura praying etc. - all of that makes this movie that much more interesting. It may not be high budget but it addresses so many things about humanity in general; loneliness, abuse, the normalcy of everyday life, religion, pain, love.... it's just the whole rainbow of humanity in one, low profile and modest movie from Mexico.
The acting is raw and oh so real - if I ever saw an actress that deserves more attention than she is getting it's Monica del Carmen. Awesome job Monica! Hollywood! You can learn a lot from this one - and that's saying a lot coming from someone who usually ONLY watches Hollywood-made movies.
p.s. this may look like a porn movie to those who take everything at face value but it really isn't. A face-value-black-and-white outlook on life usually just means lack of maturity and lack of life experience. Nothing wrong with that - but this movie definitely isn't for people like that.
Remember Me (2010)
Robert Pattison was very good!!
I'm glad he's mending his career from the terrible Twilight movies that do NOT do him justice as an actor. Very very good performance here. Good for him!
This movie touched me in more ways than one. I lost a dear friend and classmate in May of 1995 to suicide, he was also 22 that year, like the brother in this movie. It still hurts after all these years but somehow watching the film had almost a "healing" effect on me, it's hard to explain but those who have lost a loved one to suicide will understand where I'm coming from.
The end was awful though - didn't like it one bit. When I realized what day it was and where he was I got this cold chill down my spine.
So all in all - money well spent and time well spent.
Snow Cake (2006)
Weaver and Rickman awesome as usual
I don't think I have ever seen a bad movie with those two wonderful actors in it.
I'm not going to say anything about the plot, people can read that on the overview page. What I want to say about it is that the message comes through loud and clear; that you usually learn a valuable life lesson when you least expect it, from the people you least expect it from - in this case that life can be so amazingly beautiful when you learn how to accept people as they are. This is a very rare quality that is not found often enough in people in my opinion. So thank you to everyone who made this inspiring film.
Recommended times ten!
Good (2008)
Very much recommended
Many people will probably think this movie is about WWII or the Holocaust - I think the WWII/Holocaust aspect of it is secondary to the human factor in it. This is an excellent drama about humanity and its random combination of good and evil.
I always enjoy films that portray as well as this one, how all of us - every single one of us - are vulnerable to potentially destructive group-think such as the one Halder got caught up in (played wonderfully by Viggo Mortensen btw). It truly shows how, the exactly "right" time, with the "right" amount of pressure from the "right" kind of group, creates circumstances where good people do terrible things, either by *doing* or *doing nothing* like our Halder does here.
It's always interesting to hear people say "I could never....." or "I would never....". The truth is, no one really knows themselves so well to say "never". People rarely manage to get to know themselves entirely throughout their lifetime.... unless they experience adversity and/or atrocities such as the ones in this movie. Halder finally did, although in the end.... I'm guessing he didn't like what he saw very much. But can anyone judge him OR his wife? How can anyone be 100% sure they wouldn't have done the exact same thing?
The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce (2008)
Excellent acting - great story
This movie shows us all what we already know deep down. No one can judge someone else's actions unless he or she has been in the same situation. That's why people should always be careful when claiming "I could/would never do *whatever action*". I can't agree more with Philip Conolly's words:
"The world is always easier understood held at a distance with tales of monsters and the like." and "A full belly is prerequisite to all manner of good. Without that no man knows what hunger will make him do."
Beautiful nature shots, good music, great acting, great story. It's rather short though but isn't that just the charming Irish, strong, silent type way of doing things? :)
Definitely recommended.
2012: Doomsday (2008)
Bad acting + plagiarism
Horrible, stiff and extremely artificial acting, especially by the women actors. The music reminded me of 1970's b-flicks but the worst thing is that they are dancing in a gray zone of plagiarism from "The Day After Tomorrow" script.
2012: Doomsday at 34:27 "The Russians already reported tremendous air circulation coming from the arctic, Australia just saw the largest typhoon ever recorded and in Mexico there's a low pressure system unlike anything we've ever seen."
The Day After Tomorrow at 31:41 "The Canadians are reporting tremendous circulation moving down from the arctic, in Siberia there's a low pressure system unlike anything we've seen and Australia just saw the strongest typhoon ever recorded."
And the religious BS with "god" and "jesus" in every other word just made me want to puke.
Bad bad movie. Don't waste your time.