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The Wrecking Crew! (2008)
Outstanding tribute - Possible spoiler alert
I will try to put into a few words about this tribute to some of the finest studio musicians who ever recorded music on vinyl. Denny Tedesco's diligence, hard work, and love not only for his Father but the other musicians enshrined here shows through on every frame of film. The legacy of these musicians can not be overstated. If you lived in the USA in the 50s, 60s, 70s and into the 1980s you've heard their music, songs, hits, jingles, film soundtracks, and TV themes. They seemed to be everywhere all at once, but mostly anonymous when it came to actual credit on film and the backs of album covers. From Sam Cooke, to the Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, The Monkees, and beyond you heard their riffs, rhymes, and splendid musicianship. As a percussionist I've admired their music without knowing their faces or names (for the most part). Now, thanks to this labor of love I can connect those distant memories with the people who created them. This appears to be more than just a film but a mission for the director and his film company. Purchasing the rights to air the music The Wrecking Crew played is very expensive. Mr. Tedesco needs viewers like the IMDb community to support this film by giving it the high ratings it deserves here on IMDb and on online services like Net flix. Through that support he is able to raise money to keep making improvements by including more and more of the volumes of material this group of professionals created nearly round the clock for 2 full decades. This music may take you back to your teen years, and fill in the spaces as to who actually created the music of your youth.
911: In Plane Site (2004)
Spoiler alert...a few points about this video
I would like to comment on a few points given in this video (I hesitate to elevate this video to the status of a documentary).
I'm going to outline the points I found interesting that were put forth on this video. It contains quotes and abbreviated text from the video so here is your spoiler alert...although I doubt anyone could spoil this smelly pile of rubbish as it was presented (comes off like a high school video project)
1. The Narrator goes to great pains to "program" the viewers at the very beginning as to his definition of a conspiracy theory. He uses some off the wall raffle ticket "theory" scenario to convince people that the term conspiracy theory is a misnomer. His hypothesis comes off as dime store psychology to me, you be the judge. Note that he claims no matter how flimsy his evidence is (he's that confident at the outset), you still have to lend it credibility. These are the rules he imposes for viewing his "documentary". He also uses the word documentary at least 5 times in the opening...to give this video added credibility?
2. Direct quote from the Narrator: "No credible claim of responsibility" was ever received after 9/11. Uh, Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attacks 2 days later and a week later provided video of them celebrating the news of the attacks via the media. How does the Narrator conveniently ignore this? Is he just trying to trick those too young to remember watching the news coverage?
3. Uses eyewitness accounts quoted the day of the attacks, many taken from non-professionals (no pilots, experts in explosives, people unfamiliar with jet fuel fires, explosions, terrorist attacks, normal everyday citizens). Uses quotes saying it "smelled" like a bomb, stating a plane looked like a cruise missile "with wings" (that sounds a lot like a plane). "It looked like an 8-12 passenger commuter plane". Live on NBC's Today Show Katie Couric stated the same thing looking at a tape rewound 3 minutes after the 2nd jet hit the world trade center and was immediately corrected by Matt Lauer and Al Roker (who both obviously had more experience flying in a commercial airliner) that it was much larger than a small propeller commuter plane. Point: not everyone is capable of judging the accurate size, distance, or scale of an object in a fraction of a second during an accident or attack. Actually, eyewitnesses were doubted as to what they saw right outside their windows in Manhattan prior to the video tapes being replayed. You can find all of this online, they state it was a large wide bodied commercial airliner, just went past my window and into the world trade center. Reporters ask: are you sure it wasn't a small commercial plane? The callers are adamant...finally one caller tells them he's a former pilot and aviation expert...and no way can something that small create a multi-story hole in the world trade center.
4. We are next provided "evidence" in the form of the "Hunt the Boeing! And test your perceptions" website from France. This website magically appears 4 months after 9/11 with photographic evidence that it wasn't a wide bodied commercial airliner and that the damage/hole in the Pentagon changed size (smaller/larger) depending on when the photos are taken and who took the photos. Of course this is hard evidence, nobody in France uses photo editing software! Discovery Channel aired multiple documentaries interviewing forensic and engineering experts as to how the jet planes loaded with fuel entered the world trade center and Pentagon and how the buildings buckled and eventually collapsed from the stress and how it was much different than bombs planted in the building, which many conspiracy theorists offer including this expert/radio talk show personality (which uniquely qualifies him to provide all this valuable evidence). Using the pictures from the French web site he shows books out in the open, undamaged furniture and office cabinets. Has this person ever seen Tornado damage in a house where one room is completely missing and the kitchen is barely touched with dishes and cups neatly stacked in the cabinets? No two explosions/fires are identical. He also claims we should see unique damage entering the Pentagon from the tail of the jet. OK, this is very basic forensics: by the time the tail section of the jet came to the imaginary line where the front wall of the Pentagon "used to be" the tail section is entering a fire ball created by the fuel in the tanks, along with tons of some of the strongest reinforced concrete walls and steel ever used to make any building in the world. The tail is made of...plastic and thin sheets of light metal/aluminum. He wants to see seats, clothing, luggage, wires, a tail section...on the outside of the Pentagon. Well, at over 300 mph (not the 250 mph figure he uses) everything went into that section of the Pentagon and exploded....inside! Hence, the debris was inside, and is shown on other more credible "documentaries".
5. My last point is in the next section of the video he quotes from a French (why are all the 9/11 conspiracy theory experts from France?) expert in environmental studies. But he quotes her opinion on the structural damage to both the Pentagon and the jet. She's not a structural engineer. Is this the only expert in the entire world he could find to support his theories? Just asking...
have to cut this short due to the 1000 character limit...I feel sad for those duped by this tripe...
Wild (2014)
It has to be experienced in a theater (spoilers kept to minimum)
It's amazing how much hate and contempt this movie and the book it was adapted from has created on IMDb. I had the pleasure of seeing this at the Fleur Cinema in Des Moines prior to reading about the movie on IMDb. For some reason I connected immediately with Reese Witherspoon's portrayal of Cheryl Strayed...and through that performance felt a kinship with Ms. Strayed. Odd, as I assume she is someone I will never have the chance to meet in person. Perhaps it was associating with an underdog who perseveres. The cinematography captured me as I was lucky to have spent summers in the area around the PCT and was stationed nearby as well in my early twenties. I never imagined myself actually hiking the entire trail John Muir style. I could drive from trail to trail in my trusty automobile with a wallet full of Navy pay and drive back to civilization and sleep on a nice safe spongy Navy bunk. The film as a whole: the combination of directing, filming, acting, brought to me just how difficult it would be to attempt to hike the majority of the PCT. Just the courage to begin the journey was awe inspiring to me. I personally still can't believe Ms. Strayed actually did this, to me it's a monumental achievement...something I'd be proud of my entire life. That she undertook this journey after suffering so many tragedies and personal misfortunes in her life is even more impressive in my opinion. If you view the forum on here you'll encounter many people who don't understand why this film or book were ever created. Obviously these people have absolutely no clue what it takes to undergo such a mission, or journey, or life experience...whatever you choose to call it. To me, the end of the film, where Ms. Strayed comes out on the other side and experiences with what I believe is pure joy, relief, and peace is the reason for the film to be made. I don't really care what other people feel, it's Ms. Strayed's story...I just hope she was as pleased with the film and Ms. Witherspoon's portrayal as I was.
I may be an old dude, but I hope to one day walk the same trail with friends...albeit on a slower time frame. Just so I can see and experience what she did, and find out about myself some of what she came to realize at the end.
Comic Book Men (2012)
Is this really necessary?
The Big Bang Theory and now this? Is this proof there are too many channels and far too many shows on television? I gave this a chance as I am a fan of Kevin Smith and his films. I understand this is entertaining to some people but I just don't get it. I believe I outgrew comic books around age 11. Statements like comic book prose is comparable to Shakespeare, and that Batman is more recognizable than Jesus appears to be the type of insight to expect in future episodes. I predict maybe 5 episodes of this filler. I don't blame Kevin Smith for trying to make a buck here or there, but I'd personally rather see the re-run of tonights new Walking Dead episode than this. I guess in an age where younger folk spend every day texting, ipoding, slandering each other on facebook this is just a natural progression towards permanently dumbing down the population. For those that this appeals to, please enjoy. I'll probably be working or browsing through my film collection when this is on Sunday nights.
My Date with Drew (2004)
My favorite film of all time! (may contain spoilers)
Brian Herzlinger is my new personal hero! If you don't see the purity and genius behind this project you have issues. Everyone in the world has at least one person they are in awe of. For Brian, it was Drew Barrymore. So one day he got the idea to go ahead and make a documentary about his ideal person. Whether you have issues with credibility or how much help the production crew received in making this film, you have to agree this took a lot of courage on his part. At worst he could have been arrested at the outset as a stalker, with the current level of security around celebrities in Hollywood. If you don't believe this took vision, skill, and commitment you should try it yourself. Rent a video camera from circuit city and set out to pursue any sort of film. With a handful of friends and the drive to get it done Brian succeeded where millions of others would have failed. I salute Brian and his entire crew for giving those of us who simply sit in theaters such a wonderful gift. The first time I watched Brian relate his call from Nancy to Jon I felt pure joy. I haven't felt that in a long time. I can't recall the last time I felt that way watching a movie. This film is about hope, goals, dreaming. What could possibly be wrong with that? Do yourself a favor, if you haven't seen My Date with Drew, rent it. If you've already seen it once, I suggest you now buy a copy. Keep your copy in a safe place, and make sure your children, grandchildren, and their children see it. Preserve it for the future.
The Alamo (2004)
Absurd attempt
Jason Patric cast as Sam Bowie? OK, anyone care to support that choice? Is there anyone, any actor cast in this 2004 version that comes close to the outstanding cast of the 1960 version? The scope and landscape of the '60 film dwarfs this sad attempt at movie-making. Casting, script, direction, cinematography, score...all spar and actually add up to just shy of a sophomoric attempt at film-making. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't buy into this sad waste of film. There are so many historical inaccuracies and theatrical miscues, I momentarily thought Oliver Stone directed this as another in his series of revisionist history lessons. I'm just so glad I borrowed this from my local library and didn't shell out $4 at blockbuster for this travesty. If BB Thornton & D Quaid keep making fine films like this, they will certain assure themselves of never ever garnering an Oscar. How did Thornton go from a small role in a great film like Tombstone, to a starring role in this monster of a box-office flop?
Billy Elliot (2000)
Wonderful six years later
I originally saw Billy Elliot when it was first released in the US they're. I guess I had forgotten what a wonderful film it is. While searching for something to watch at the local library, the VHS version was sitting there waiting for someone to borrow it. I must be getting old, because I had forgotten most of the story over the last half decade. I was reminded of the wonderful soundtrack, performances, directing, cinematography etc. After viewing it a number of times this week I went back to IMDb to research the cast and crew. I was then shocked to learn that the part of Jimmy in King Kong was Jamie Bell. I'm really happy to see his career is doing so well, and that he will be in the upcoming Flags of our Fathers with the equally talented Adam Beach. IMO it would be a shame to describe the film to someone who hasn't seen it. I recommend loading up on munchies, renting Billy Elliot, and sitting back some night with family or friends and having a thoroughly enjoyable evening!