sslop Reviews

Witness (1985)

Regarding the accents...

[9/10 · 8 April 2005]

I would like to clear up a couple of comments made by movieguy1021, who wrote:

"One thing I didn't understand is how come everyone seemed to use such strong accents yet they've been living in America for a long time."

Most Amish communities mainly speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a dialect of German, hence the accents in the film. Amish children learn English in school.

And:

"Also, although I may not be the end-all, be-all of Amish knowledge, it seems like for people so strict in their rules, they broke them easily. They didn't seem to object to riding in trains or cars, or even using technology."

The Amish accept some forms of modernisation as long as it is not deemed disruptive to their social structure. Some forms of primitive technology are accepted in their community, such as devices that assist with milking cows. Likewise they accept rides in cars, but members of the community cannot own them.

John Safran vs. God (2004)

Another terrific series from Safran.

[18 October 2004]

Having just seen the final episode of 'John Safran Vs. God', I'm pleased to conclude that this series is as equally entertaining as his previous show, 2002's 'Music Jamboree' (despite being two episodes shorter). While religion is perhaps a risky topic on which to base a television show, Safran manages to explore the subject in his usual unique style by placing himself at the centre of his stories. While this might have been a less appealing method had the show featured somebody more subdued, it is Safran's personality and the situations he is willing to place himself in that makes the series as entertaining as it is informative.

Oh, and the final episode is one of the most riveting conclusions to a television series I've seen in a long time.

The DVD, released in late October 2004, looks to be a worthwhile purchase.

From the Queen to the Chief Executive (2001)

Powerful and moving.

[3 September 2003]

'From The Queen To The Chief Executive'

A powerful film set in Hong Kong about a group of prisoners "detained at Her Majesty's pleasure". This law, initially intending to give the young detainees a chance to correct themselves, results in them awaiting their sentence for an indefinite period while the government passes the buck and refuses to deal with the prisoners' rights. Effectively, this means that the prisoners have little hope, never knowing when (or if) they will be released. Soon, a young woman named Yue-ling, meets Ming, one of the inmates. Yue-ling, seeing the injustice that is occuring, manages to gain the support of a local Councillor, and they fight for change. The film is multi-layered, and its characters are flawed and real. No character faces easy decisions, perhaps the most painful examples of this being the scenes of the Councillor and his young son, who he no longer has enough time for due to his commitments to helping the prisoners. This film is far more satisfying than many Hollywood films that attempt to explore similar themes, mainly because of its authenticity and realism rather than large budgets and big-name stars. A great film.

****1/2