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blacknight595
Reviews
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
A Movie that Changed my Life
As a new generation turns 18-20 this movie was vital for many growing up. It WAS their Saturday morning routine. A necessary part of growing up, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instilled values for a generation. Both the movie and the TV show were key in this upcoming generation's development and coming of age. I recently watched this movie again for the first time in a decade, and yes it was cheesy and tacky. However, that doesn't make it bad in anyway. There are some complex issues going on beneath the surface here. First, this movie was released close to the peak of crime wave that occurred across the country in the early 1990's. A city lost in crime is saved by a few of the next generation's heroes, who are nothing more than teenagers on a quest for pizza. Second, there is a definite connection between Splinter and Jesus when he is nailed up to a wall and talking to his "sons". Many reading my comments may laugh because, lets face it, the idea of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is hilarious, but the movie spoke to a specific generation at a specific time and as a period piece it can still be appreciated. This was more than just a movie; it defined a generation. Even if the movie makes no sense go with it and watch it for the ridiculous 1990's dialogue...Its funny, enjoy!
The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear (2004)
A great documentary, with some poor assumptions
This was is one of the greatest documentaries I've ever seen. I saw it as it appeared on British TV, in 3 parts, but all at the same time. It was entertaining and informative as any documentary should be and would recommend it to nearly anyone. The first sections simply explained how both Islamic fundamentalists and neo cons (Christian fundamentalists) rose to power. It went into detail how they came to power and what their motivations in office were. It is brilliantly and insightfully done switching back and forth between the two with ease and precision. It also helped to connect the two, pointing out their similarities and differences. It was even able to connect the neo cons to famous 1960's dramatic western TV series "Gun Smoke". Unfortunately by the third part the documentary began to fall apart. It became less a documentary and more a speculation making the war on terror seem like a weak conspiracy theory. These speculations had a weak base which I might have been willing to follow had the comments had any evidence to back it up. However, unlike the previous sections the third just explained these assumptions and moved on without providing the audience the evidence to draw the conclusion. It quickly lost my attention leading me with contempt. Overall the documentary was still tactful and intelligent and I learned a great deal from it.
PS it might be noted that part of my dislike for the final part of the film is that I am a moderate. The film is clearly marketed to a more liberal audience, but I still enjoyed it.