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jamesjohnson78
Reviews
High Tech, Low Life (2012)
A Great Look At the Challenges Still Facing China
This film chronicles the start, lives, challenges, and careers of two uncensored news bloggers in modern Communist China. Each one does not know the other at the start, but eventually dovetail nicely into awareness. The people are normal, believable, and very motivated.
The music, cinematography, editing, all of it are amazing and topnotch. I honestly am not one for owning let alone re-watching documentaries, but I've already put this on my "To Purchase Blu-Ray" list. This film inspires you, informs you, and wants you to reach through the screen and help out these individuals in their quest for helping China move into the 21st Century of media.
If you are ever interested in censorship in Communist countries, Asian modern culture, independent news blogging, or want to learn more about personal struggles with your dream and reality, watch "High Tech, Low Life" right now.
The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (2012)
Like The Others Here...I Really Wanted To Love This...But
This movie has great possibility, good directing, well-matched casting, and a campy fun theme song. The ideas, locales, retro feel, editing, and all else were pretty darn good too. But like most of the others have pointed out, the SCRIPT.
If we are too assume a faithful translation, then we get a roller coaster of a plot with quite a few holes. And a movie that in the end does not feel certain of what it is. Is it a father/son film? Is it a period comedy musical? Is it a science fiction film with all of this rolled into one? There seems to be almost 5 to 10 minute chapters where the whole tone of the film shifts from serious to funny, cheese to drama, all on a flip of a fade-out.
I do not want to get down on the guys who brought us this, it was really good for a first attempt. But might I make a few suggestions? Why is the second-rate group member not considered equal and eventually goes on a rampage? What is "The Pill", and what does it do? Why did Johnny almost out of nowhere like the Soda Jerk? (Its hinted at, but just not brought over the edge of belief.) And while the ending does provide a clean break to possible love triangle, it still feels somewhat somewhat flat.
The last minute choice at the ending for Johnny makes sense though, and I would like to see Keenan play that character in a possible future escapade. Please just iron out the overall feel of any future scripts and I will happily buy that DVD.