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janinealix
Reviews
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Terrifying in its portrayal of "inhuman" nature
In 1978, I was 12 and saw this film, and it gave me nightmares for ages. The reason is simple: those you trust will, if they can, betray you. I know the film and its original refer to consumerism and McCarthyism, but to me, at its core, it speaks a scary truth about human nature. When Sutherland lets out his horrendous, traitorous Pod-yell at his trusting, conspiratorial friend, who approaches him as still being human, his betrayal so deeply affected me that I remember the ending 29 years later. I can't sleep tonight after re-viewing the film, and no horror/slasher movie has affected me more. The stuff people consider to be "horror" now is all about violence, gore, misogyny, and brutality, but this director veered into our feelings and our decisions about trusting others, about which we are often, as humans, inherently wrong. This, in itself, is horror. And that's what the director of "Invasion" deeply understood.
CSI: Miami (2004)
Cliché ridden but fun garbage
Horatio Caine and his gorgeous (fe/male) cohorts solve all sorts of crimes with skill - and machines that are cutting-edge, yet non-existent in CSI workplaces. Most shows begin with lots of bikinis, dead yet gorgeous women, and frankly, some graphic sex/torture scenes that are increasingly gratuitous and revolting. Add to this lovely issue that each time Caine (Caruso) opens his mouth, it's a cliché; the only way I can tolerate the show is by counting the number of silly comments. Within four minutes, he had mentioned 3 clichés and his friend, female empathetic-to-the-point-of-nausea-coroner Alex, had mentioned 2; both pause as if delivering a punchline, & Caruso lets the door close behind him right after speaking. Tie that in with the fact that he never looks anyone in the eye and he always turns, while putting his sunglasses on with TWO (??) hands, and you sure don't have good acting. That being said, it's all fun. "You know what you get for playing with fire.." he intones, "you get burnt" after a criminal left ash to be found by these wonderful cops. (Note: glasses are pushed up on nose). If you're into this light fare, you'll love it. For some inexplicable reason, all children open up immediately to Caine and tell him their secrets. For once, unlike on NYPD Blue, we don't have to see Caruso's butt exposed in every show. What a blessing.