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CovertKoala
Reviews
The Pacific (2010)
The Greatest Generation - in the Pacific
This is a terrific glimpse into the terror of WWII, the Pacific theater - of fighting with ruthless enemies who not only attacked us first but would rather die than be taken POW. This war produced kamikazes, guerrilla fighting, and being mindful that even "dead" bodies held grenades.
The acting is superb and while some ignorant reviewers think there is no character development they are sorely mistaken. Viewers see boys become men, witness how war can change even the kind-hearted, and will be forever impacted by these stories. This is the stuff of legends.
This is not meant to be Band of Brothers, part two, and to think so is completely unjust. The Pacific was a different kind of war, as depicted in this phenomenal mini-series. There the enemy was brutal, vicious, callous and suicidal, all for believing in the greater good of the Empire. Japanese soldiers did horrible things to our soldiers - even after their deaths.
I highly recommend this for any WWII buff - like myself - or anyone who wants to be humbly reassured that not only is America the greatest nation, but our military is made up of generations of heroes, especially the veterans of The Greatest Generation.
Alice (2009)
Well Done TV Movie - new Standard for Alice
Sorry guys, but Tim Burton doesn't stand a chance! There is a new standard for Alice, the story itself, and the Hatter - this series. Yes, it's a TV movie, so you'll have to forgive some of the low-budget camera movements (such as shaking the camera as a building is coming down). But for a TV movie on the SyFy channel, I really enjoyed this one. First off, the modern angle is done very well - Wonderland exists as a parallel world, and humans or "oysters" are harvest for their "pearls" - their good-only emotions. The Hatter isn't mad; the March Hare is - and he's the queen's favorite assassin. There are some other nice touches that pull from the famous children's story (which is NOT the Disney interpretation, people). Secondly, the acting is phenomenal - except for the White Knight. (He goes a bit overboard, as the actor tends to in other roles.) The Hatter is played by Brit hottie Andrew Lee Potts and Caterina Scorcone rocks as the modern day Alice. The chemistry between the Hatter and Alice is amazing as well. That's all I'll say about that. Overall, I think this interpretation is the best one I've seen in a long time. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of my favorite stories and I'm very picky about interpretations. The 1985 TV movie was the last good one, IMO. This one is the new standard. I do wish it had aired without commercials, but thanks to TiVo, I could fast-forward. Nick Willing, the director/writer, did a phenomenal job as well - the contemporary message in the movie speaks volumes. This is a fun modern-day take on a classic children's story.