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Reviews
Rollerball (1975)
Individualism vs Corporate Society
In the beginning of the movie, the crowd cheers "Houston, Houston, Houston!". At the end of the movie, the crowd cheers "Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan!". This is exactly what the Corporations and the Executives feared. Which is the rise of personal choices, individual leadership, a person living life on his or her own terms, and the freedom to do so. This, so the Executives fear, is the threat to the stability of society as a whole. The corporation controls privilege. It even provides a pill to control emotional well-being. But Jonathan fights it and succeeds, even with no one on his side. With exception of the masses at the end. What a wonderful movie!
Light in the Piazza (1962)
Beauty and Simplicity
With two great cinematographers, Guy Green and Otto Heller, involved in this movie, is it no wonder the scenery and beauty is brought forth so wonderfully? The setting, characters, and costume are pleasing to the eye. The acting of de Havilland and Brazzi are, as should be, excellent. A decent movie .
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)
Sunk to the Bottom...
The movie has an admirable cast, but the plot just plain silly. The cinematography and special effects are good for a 1961 movie but it is not enough to keep this movie afloat. What a shame. A better script and plot could have really made this movie a hit. I enjoyed the TV series growing up as a child. Maybe that's why I gave the movie a 4 instead of lower. It at least started a good TV show.
Chernobyl: Vichnaya Pamyat (2019)
Some Things Just Have To Be Said..And Seen!
Chernobyl is one of them. And oh how so beautifully done! The final episode is superb.
Soylent Green (1973)
The Callousness of Life
Soylent Green is one of the great sci-fi classics of all time. It is not about technological advances of the future, but rather, the insensitivities and callousness of men in the future. Homeless people are littered in the city. Living in cars, on the street, and if you're lucky,in a cramped apartment powered by a self-driven generator and battery. Heston hops over people crammed on the staircase with such finesse like he has done a thousand times without thinking about it. Rioting people are scooped up and dumped in trucks like the daily trash. It's the norm.
The rich live in a protected area in posh apartments with beautiful women referred to as "furniture". The past CEO of the Soylent Green factory shows some remorse and humanity by going to see a priest to repent his sins, but even he accepts his execution as "necessary". Just as Edward G. Robinson, the other character who has kept some humanitarian traits, accepts his death by senicide as necessary to expose the truth.
Heston is "in training" ,so to speak, to restore humanitarian traits like joy, caring, and do what is right. At first he is as callous as anyone. Heston is an opportunist who robs the dead, steals from criminals who have no recourse, and shares his booty with his boss. Robinson shows him the joys of good food, importance of companionship, and caring for others. In the end, Heston cries out fighting for his life and not giving in shouting, "Soylent Green is made from people! Soon they will breed them like cattle! " Humans should be humane.