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Speed & Angels (2008)
Great look at the world of a young US Naval Aviator
This was a really good & quite informative into what it takes to enter US Naval Aviation since the turn of the 21st century. Sad as well though, as we see a young pilot become rated & qualified to fly the F-14 Tomcat, knowing (now) that this was the final group ever to fly that incredible machine. From the outside looking in this was a tough pill to swallow as the Tomcat was what drove so many of us to become pilots, whether military or civilian. Because the true 'star' of 'Top Gun' was the F-14.
'Fly on the wall' style docs can be risky considering what the audience is exposed to vs what they miss. Thankfully the amount of interview & voiceover time ensured that everything flowed smoothly, while still allowing quite a lot of information to come across to the viewer.
All in all... VERY well done. One of the best aviation centric films I've come across. It's no wonder why this is the #1 aviation themed, especially military aviation themed, films that other pilots/aviators point to.
A 10/10.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Tried to cash in on 'Knives Out', but too early...
We really enjoyed 'Knives Out'. Most people did evidently. And it's no surprise that they wanted to cash in on that success. However they should've waited until they had a solid script built around a really good story. To say this is a weak derivative would be to do a disservice to the term derivative. They certainly mentioned the game 'Clue' enough to make one think there was an appreciation of it, but even that mass marketed mystery board game, with a depth and complexity aimed at being accessible to the widest percentage of people, was more complex and compelling.
Rian Johnson isn't without talent, however writing a sequel to 'Knives Out' was perhaps simply beyond him. It's no surprise that a studio signed off on this, as they sign off on garbage far worse than this - but this was a MASSIVE swing & an even larger miss. This could have been something really really good. Maybe 'Knives Out' was lighting in a bottle, whereas 'Glass Onion' was only a bottle.
Massively disappointed. Praying that Daniel Craig hasn't signed anything committing him to another of these.
The Gringo Papi (2022)
Friends?
I understand a guy supporting his friend & encouraging him. But a friend should be honest too.
Who told Brendan Schaub that he's 'funny'? Much less a 'comedian'?
You'd be a better friend telling Schaub to go back to getting KO'd in MMA.
THREE years to cobble together a 22 min set, from FIVE different shows.
I cannot imagine what could've been on the cutting room floor after
being considered worse.
The writing is on the wall, dude. Back to suing any & everybody who
talks about how you cheated on your wife with the wife of a "friend".
C'mon, dude...
The King's Man (2021)
Lacking on all fronts...
The first film was a lot of fun to watch. Taking a new vantage point on an classic theme can provide excitement & a lot of fun in a film. However it's been a decidedly steady, yet steep, decline in the follow up films. 'The King's Man' may be fun to look at, but the same tired political ideology that Hollywood forces into seemingly everything it produces, cursed yet another project. Decent effects & scenery, good talented actors, betrayed by the same thing that is killing the industry.
Save your money, and wait to catch it on a flight or something. Decent enough to look at to hold your thought, but also weak & tired enough to induce a good nap.
Val (2021)
One of the bravest self-portraits I've ever seen.
'Mercurial' seems too much of an 'old world' term... but I'm at a loss to come up with a more accurate one. Even from early on, Val Kilmer always seemed to have a lot going on inside him. Usually we didn't get too much of a glimpse of what that might be. Thankfully due to what had to have been a truly driving commitment to capture & document his life, we can now have more than just a glimpse. By way of a literal warehouse of film, video, writings, and seemingly every form of media possible. What we now get to see runs the gamut from hilarious to incredibly sad.
As brave as this project was to put together, Kilmer's battles following his cancer diagnosis and how he's seemed to carry himself throughout them, are braver still by an order of magnitude.
If you've ever been a fan of Val Kilmer or his work... you need to see this.
Be well & God bless, Mr Kilmer.
Run Hide Fight (2020)
A star is born in Isabel May. This was a great film & a great spotlight of what she can do.
This film came to me as a surprise. I came across it thru Daily Wire & had no idea what it would be... and I was surprised again. It's entirely NOT the type of film that Hollywood seems to be making today, and that's their loss probably. Most likely there is a large audience out there still wanting to see this type of movie. Still wanting to see good triumph over evil, and the struggles that this always will entail. While I enjoyed the plot, the writing, and the cast, I think the best thing about this film was its star - Isabel May. Each of the cast members gave really good performances, but Isabel May's lead was the best theatrical performance from a young actor that I've seen in quite some time. There wasn't a single moment of this suspense filled movie that needed more information as it was all there in her face. Not very common. It's certainly no surprise to see that Taylor Sheridan snatched her up for a starting role in the new Yellowstone-prequel series '1883'.
I get the 'Die Hard' comparisons that so many seem to be making. There certainly are similarities... but it's in no way a remake or some sort of cheap copy. This is a well written & very well acted film. People seem to want to use the comparison as a label of some kind. Perhaps they're somehow forgetting what it was that made 'Die Hard' a smash hit in the first place. Sometimes I wonder if Hollywood has written off a huge portion of their audience. Not entirely & not all of the industry. But that does seem to be the desire of some. Let's hope not.
The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
From 'Don't Stop Believing'... to this???
**POSSIBLY could be considered a spoiler but I really don't think so***
Outside of not so vaguely suggesting that 'Tony Soprano' was sexually molested by his mother 'Livia' while his father 'Johnny' was in prison... there isn't much to say about this film. It felt as if they wrote episodes, set a generation earlier than that of the series, and decided to release it as a feature.
I only wish that since they waited so long to make a 'Sopranos movie', they had waited until they had a good script with which to make it.
It's difficult to think that James Gandalfini would've felt proud of this product really. Maybe I'm wrong... but I don't think so to be honest. Maybe this film WILL resonate with some folks. I just didn't feel what the years & years of anticipation led me to hope I would.
Hell's Angels (1930)
The finest & most dynamic aerial combat sequences ever filmed.
In many ways this is a movie made in the style of its own time, which might leave audiences of today a bit underwhelmed. However in some ways no film made since has measured up. The aerial combat sequences remain the finest representation of dogfighting ever filmed, and I doubt we will ever see them bested. The scale, scope and sheer expense of filming something to rival what Howard Hughes accomplished would make that virtually impossible. And computer animation can do many miraculous things, however this might be it of the reach of even the best CGI. This is the best, and maybe it should remain the best.
Project Veritas (2008)
Perhaps one day people will awaken...
James O'Keefe seems to be one of the very last, if not THE last, actual 'journalist'. At least when using the classical definition of the term. Regardless of what or whom the story involves, or the levels of power working & conspiring in the dark to stop or even harm him, he pushes forward in search of the truth.
Perhaps taking the path of John Stossel & his type of investigative journalism marked with a straight-forward delivery, he offers no apology for ruffled feathers after someone's had their corruption laid bare in a video recording. Instead, he asks for the corrupt to apologize. Yet he's hammered for it.
The tide is turning. Perhaps one day soon, the consumers of "news" will begin to question why they've been comfortable for so long with false talking points & focus group tested stories rather than actual journalism. Perhaps.
Messiah (2020)
Unexpectedly captivating......
What's the 'TV equivalent' of a page-turner?... whatever that is, this series is it. Exceptionally well written and very well acted. We've been unable to turn it off, and what began as a 'well let's see what the fuss is about' exercise turned quickly into binge watching. I was afraid this would be entirely one-sided given what our mass media has become. However, I've found several instances of what I'd ordinarily call 'mild bashing' of one viewpoint or belief, but cleverly balanced against a similar 'bash' of the counterargument. Be they satirical, comedic, or simply some hidden biases being expressed - they are pointing all around rather than a single point of view. That has been a joy to see, simply because of the lack of balance we've become so used to seeing. So far it's been simply captivating to watch. Perhaps the final ending (currently on episode 9 of 10) will disappoint or the curtain will be pulled back to expose an attack on religious belief entirely, but so far it's been great. Great, and a fresh perspective on a scenario I'd guess people of all walks of life have asked themselves for all time. What would the 'appearance of the Messiah' look like? How would we react? How would something like that play out?
SGT. Will Gardner (2019)
Best film I can remember concerning our returning war veterans.
Having an inkling as to what 'Sgt Will Gardner' was about, and maybe subconsciously I was finding ways to avoid seeing it. Today I did see it, and I couldn't be more happy about the decision.
I've been a Max Martini fan since the days of 'The Unit', and have always appreciated how he portrays service members in particular. Most notably the humanity he expresses in military characters.
Martini should be proud of this film. It's a story as old as war itself, and one that I'd imagine is difficult to credibly tell. Veterans returning from war have always faced their own difficulties re-entering civilian life, and this is especially so in our GI's returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Martini portrayed 'Sgt Will Gardner' with an unmistakable sense of honor, dignity, and strength of character. He's written and plays a character who too often is shown to be broken & weak, and revealed him to be damaged but still every bit a man of service.
'Sgt Will Gardner' can be that much needed lighthouse for those who are still finding their way back from the storm. Martini's writing & portrayal, I think, can be a great help to them. This was one of the most moving films I've seen in a good while, and I hope Max Martini knows how appreciative I am for that.
Extremely well done.