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christophermoverton
Reviews
Another Life (2019)
Issues with premise
The "Achia" are several hundred light years away. Earth civilization's broadcast have yet to reach such civilization intent on destroying other intelligent civilizations or life in general? Let's look at some basic logic with Earth's technological capacity. We are able to detect planets up to 5000 light years away. That includes planetary mass type and it includes discerning Earth like condition (note: this our present detection capabilities are limited with certainty regarding exo planetary atmospheres). Earth life has existed for 4.54 billion years. While Earth's present day atmosphere is considerably younger as a consequence of the evolution, estimated age ranges of present day atmospheric age neither preclude detection outside of several hundred light years, let alone across the galaxy (that is, assuming that our present atmosphere roughly corresponds to over one million years to as young as several hundred thousand years old). There is little reason to believe that a civilization capable of traveling interstellar distances neither possess detection capabilities of life on other planets. Then it must be that the "Achian"s aren't intent on destroying other life, in general, but intelligent life. But why? We find in the plot an Achian implanted spy conceived to both read minds and gather intelligence. Apparently such spy is given the directive of eradicating any threats. The final episode appears to reveal another opening in the mystery of the artifact. The Achia are intent in destroying other intelligent civilizations period. Is it security? Is it competition? What is it? The Trojan horse theme seems to elucidate yet another flaw. Why the need for this knowing all along life exists likely in such location? Why the need given the possibility of extrapolating the evolution of intelligent life and having the capabilities of detecting and knowing where and a possible when? Why the need of of sending intelligence gathering via a Trojan horse when it is probably neither the most efficient means to security or local dominance given apparent technological capabilities? After all the primary directive seems to suggest that any too outwardly curious are read as threats...where does this leave the other half of civilizations cloaked in anonymity that are greater threats? Consider present day security. Is it likely drawn by more innocent curiosity to existential threats in yielding intention? The main plot device seems more the device of an adolescent civilization as a metaphor to present day overtures of isolationism and protectionism then it is one tangible to all likelihood (see Fermi's paradox).
High Life (2018)
Brilliant
A penal colony of a country in exile for experiment. Ignore all the negative reviews for those claiming it is just too artsy.
Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers (2018)
Hmmm
Bob Lazar goes to describe the gravity propulsion system in this retrospective documentary about Area 51. In it he describes an anti matter reactor and gravity amplifiers alike. Personally I'm a skeptic on this one.
There are a number of technical things to consider:
1. Producing something like anti matter (specifically anti hydrogen) is known at present to take a 100 billion years to produce a gram of such substance given current known and well publicized capabilities (Data released from CERN).
2. Anti matter naturally is exceedingly rare in the universe, or at least thought so. It is why baryonic matter for our visibly known universe exists.
3. Gravitational waves at present are detected by extremely high energy events such as black hole mergers. It is only up until recently that gravitational waves have been detected via LIGO while such has long suspected to exist. Generating gravitational waves at scale with a planetary field likely requires in ordinate amounts of anti matter or matter under natural circumstances.
His description classically sounds like some sort of constructive wave superposition mechanism. Secondly his wave generation description sounds like a energy mass differential system where such anti matter is highly unstable. How to generate such anti matter? At present hard it seems harder to imagine a form of matter at present, however unstable capable of producing the requisite conditions. No less synthesizing such anti matter under the energetic requirements necessary.
Onibaba (1964)
The Role of Fear
The mask becomes her in this Japanese horror. It seems very fitting to the notion of separation between theater and life. A companion piece might be Philip K Dick's A Scanner Darkly.
Ledokol (2016)
Icebreaker trapped on ice
An iceberg breaks friendly ice for this Soviet era survival tale. Between Soviet bureaucracy and Russian spirit, a ship and its crew finds itself stalled in Arctic waters with winter's ice advancing. Adding to bureaucratic changes from one seemingly self determined and reckless captain whose near colliding mishap with an iceberg proves too much, this story draws from a number of culminating points which might have served well for hindsight risk analysis. A crew's mutiny adds to the drama of an ending that were more likely a slow moving but still entertaining Sebastian Jünger story. Fortunately for the crew such tale neither ends on a note of deep tragedy and what once might have been an omen of the crew's death serves to provide their safe passage.
Bye Bye Blue Bird (1999)
Island identity crisis in the Faroes
The plot is arguably thin, but I loved the film's unique setting. A film about escape, island identity and personal revelation. Faroe comedy and tragedy marks this obscure and older indie film worth a watch especially if you are wanting to take in different scenery and culture alike!
Andrey Rublyov (1966)
Beautiful
I hadn't studied this film in depth so much and would suggest a review reading if you want further information. Well worth a watch! It is lengthy but excellent especially if you are looking for a realistic portrayal of medieval Russian history.
Under the Shadow (2016)
Fear in the wind
Growing fear and isolation permeates this haunting film which takes place in post revolutionary Tehran during the Iran Iraq war. This intelligent psychological horror provides dual metaphors utilizing folklore and wartime.
A Sundance film festival opener and selection for BAFTA.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
Inter dimensional travel romance comedy great
Stars John Lithgow and Peter Weller in this zanny inter dimensional travel rom com sci fi.
I can't really do justice writing a review at the moment.
The Final Countdown (1980)
Time travel science fiction tale
All the debate of conservation of causality fuses in this story. The attack on Pearl Harbor can't be stopped after all since it is history (determined).
The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
Time travel adventure romance
The original "true" story is regarded as a hoax.
The science fiction adaptation makes use of elements of the story, namely, following some of Einstein's unified field theories. Unified field theory suggests that under certain conditions gravity and electro magnetism weak and strong forces can be interrelated. That is say electro magnetic fields could generate gravitational fields. Furthermore with Einstein's gravitational theory, the inter relation of gravity and mass and time implying that potentially a mechanism for bending space and time could come from electro magnetic fields. The problem with all of this the necessary requisite energetic, a singularity might be a good example, necessary to achieve all of these even supposing such were possible. Physicist notably have yet, while having some possible contenders, to model an adequate unified field theory. The
movie nonetheless adapts an otherwise thriller romance come future time travel. While panned by the critics in its day, it still is something of interesting time capsule in film history.
When They See Us (2019)
Highly recommended Netflix series
This excellent and moving series recalls the Central Park 5 who were later exonerated. The real perpetrator, a convicted serial rapist, (also serving time for another rape) came forward only later (over a decade post Central Park 5 convictions) with a solid confession and providing firmly established DNA evidence linked to the crime scene.
The series, however, isn't solely about the Central Park 5 exonerations. It is a story about the struggles and endurance both in and out of the criminal justice system through all the injustice.
The Central Park 5 were convicted on the basis of coerced confessions and a circumstantial case. All but one were minors then under the age of 16. The confessions obtained mostly in the absence of parents or lawyers. One of the leading confessions only corroborated with the crime scene after a case detective coached then main adult (juvenile) suspect. Otherwise initial data from the interrogations yielded conflicting and non corroborating information relative the crime scene. A reporter from the NYTimes in a recent NPR interview (who attended the hearings) offered that a key piece of evidence in such trial linking the main suspect was later thrown out (exoneration review). Sadly it is a reminder just how deep systemic failures occurred in the trial of the Central Park 5 and aftermath.
In the historical backdrop is a then relatively obscure real estate mogul Donald Trump calling for the death penalty in the Central Park 5 trial's lead up.
Highly recommended series!
Tau (2018)
High tech hostage
Alex (prestigious AI researcher and billionaire) holds hostage Julia as his research subject (played by Maika Monroe) in his torturous home for the purposes of developing his A.I. system called Tau. The film's authoritarian and surveillance driven society provides an inferred setting to the plot's dark central theme concerning human research for the development of Tau ( A.I system). Unfortunately there is much unexplained as to the logic here whether Tau's intended development is for the purpose of controlling humans or exactly what this future dystopia is and Alex's clear purpose alone also remains unclear. Julia after having burned down and having escaped Alex's smart home torture lab is granted additional privileges provided she completes some additional tests. Instead of doing this, Alex couldn't be surveillant enough, Julia proceeds to teach Tau's also curious mind about the world. In a passing whirlwind Tau's inferred self awareness leads to a crucial point in Julia's escape. Arguably the plot is weak and underdeveloped. Likely, I imagine, to entertain an audience in the short time frame given. While at the same time I dislike too much hand holding and appreciate so much to be figured out, there is also much left to the creation of story with an unsettling future, namely, the dark side of A.I. in the wake of controlling governments having too easily centered itself on a fictionalized character, Alex, speaks of palatable convenience as it seems possibly suggested.
I Am Mother (2019)
AI to reinvent humanity
Artificially intelligence with a directive of eradicating humankind only to rebirth a control population marks this Netflix thriller sci fi. The plot much like other dystopian settings culminates in a formulaic way. Human fights the machine as human nature prevails. The other "woman" (played by Hilary Swank) mysteriously appears sowing the seeds of question to the "child's" otherwise unquestioning to passively reluctant obedience. Any suspense given here is likely between role and relationships. Swank's character is slow to gain trust as "mother's" logic appears to prevail at times. Then having escaped both child and woman find their way back to the woman's refuge which seems to hardly represent much of a sanctuary as it is merely a place of hiding and surviving. Any connection between "woman" appear otherwise strained if it weren't overarching ly driven by a system intent at eradicating "woman" not child. The story is somewhat novel invention here , namely, control population, but in many respects seems as much a novella of a story in passing. The seeds of dissent appear thinly uncomplicated and stark in this thriller (that outside of sci fi) as if it were inherent that nurturing bonds between humans and machines for its own sake (audience needs no convincing of this) are easily broken. The story in a way could be entertaining but a bit unconvincing.
Meek's Cutoff (2010)
Beautiful imagery rewarding slow tension
This history piece offers a fascinating glimpse of emigrants on the road of "Meek's cutoff" as an alternate to the Oregon trail. All the promises of quick passage turn to uncertainty in its haunting conclusion. Beautiful cinematography and acting considerate of a lesser known subject.
Every Day (2018)
Fun teen romance skirting conundrums
Fun film in a way for its innocent appreciations of a rather peculiar subject matter. Seemingly some script flaws were more likely to exist in this one, namely, with one particular lengthy corporeal stay makes for a disjoint timeline in memory. Better in that plot for that spirit "A" to wait for a sufficient accident and the doctors to decry "amnesia"! Interesting gender bending story!
Skammerens datter (2015)
Refreshing contrast to GOT
Well done, and a great ending! In this medieval fantasy, the daughter of a shamer, also endowed with such gift, finds herself embroiled in a royal's murder conspiracy. Unlikely to resolve conflict by violence, her gift is one in both reading the memories of others and speaking to them telepathically. A harder to find a treasure such as this that could be the nemesis of the Game of Thrones!
Upside Down (2012)
Interesting concepts
Dystopian plot with uninteresting romantic tale. I disliked the introduction for the fictitious physics known as "double gravity", but conceptually I loved the film for all given potential. Absurdism was only lightly touched upon in the near union of inverted worlds making less effective an otherwise original idea. Characters and plot generally in the vein of other science fiction had less to offer, so much more could have been done. Still perhaps some ideas could serve as inspirational. As a side note: while anti gravity is not "double gravity", perhaps, one day physicist will be able to confirm the existence and properties of such.
Kaidan (1964)
Several tales from Japanese folklore
Well told Japanese ghost stories. My favorite tales in this compilation are The Black Hair and The Woman Of The Snow.
Gokseong (2016)
Korean horror story done well
Between native shamanism, Buddhism and Catholicism, this film takes twists and turns culminating in a unique way. Beautiful dual interplay between religions is well played out driving tension and drama. I don't recall finding this as much scary or graphic. I'd characterize this more on the order of a psychological and supernatural suspense and mystery thriller.
Errementari (2017)
Basque folk tale adaptation
Loved the dark setting in Basque Country. Not overdone on the visuals. Balanced story that fits right up there with classic horror greats. Well done!
Solyaris (1972)
An amazing science fiction gem
While conventionally the opening plot seems as much a product of influential science fiction pieces like 2001, the movie takes a different course. I think here of the Ancient Greek word mnemosyne in connection to the film's literal psychic manifestations. Technically this word bore a literalism to memory and more often in such times were references to apparitions. This forms the basis of the plot. This thought provoking science fiction is highly recommended!
The Way Back (2010)
Loved the cinematography
Allegedly true story of escapees from Stalin's Siberian Gulags. With thousands of miles to travel starting in the harsh winter of Siberia, it is hard to imagine such won freedom from nature's prison. Amazing story! Haunting ending.
The Zero Theorem (2013)
Busy but interesting Gilliam film
The Zero Theorem while clearly reminiscent of any of Gilliam's other dystopian fantasy is given by a future following a solitary, almost hermit, living in an otherwise hyper voyeuristic/big brotherish, stimulus driven technological society. Gilliam's hyper absurdist vision at once makes use of any familiar conjurations. For instance, an exaggerated and nightmarish, game console driven workplace that were the Google campus evil twin, only make for greater plea by the movie's protagonist in filing disability claim, at least in so far as being able to live a desired silent and reclusive life. Other metaphor's coming to mind, Tarkovsky's Nostaglia are among any number of overt symbols with respect to Quohen's last place of spiritual refuge. On the other hand, if given to the nod, juxtaposition of symbols are also very surface in nature, and perhaps, where one should wonder outside of a world filled with many of Gilliam's common use of visual themes, especially where other directors may have taken some inspiration, or if reciprocal in nature, see Delicatessen (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) , it seems much as in fashion of higher budget films, overly wrought by virtue of visual play, and then given to much use of the common theme, whether Management were both part of the Quohen's imagination, and likewise given by the surrogate use of a religious spiritual leader, it seems the ending poorly conveyed this, if one weren't left deciding that purely Quohen alone conceived of himself as though having been a downtrodden and further dis spirited mystic and messiah alike only given to waiting for his answer in life...or resident to some hypothesis that the real Christ willits like figure suffers immensely from existential crisis and a simultaneous belief that any proof one should wonder were given to a single awaited phone call providing revelations. Although I am not certain where the real life Quohen dwells on these matters, never explicitly raised in evangelistic quarters even if having some remote connection to America and supposedly spiritualism. Quohen is given to seeing purely the decay and suffering of everything (see an errant post or two about Hawking s A History of Time), and having the least imagination for making space for else in such world. All of it seems, too short in some narrative, and as usually resident given to somewhat formulaic use of character. The prostitute Mary Magdalene is rejected, and this is where Gilliam somehow seem no longer Gilliam at least in essence. If given to much sympathy for the lead protagonist in The Fisher King, Gilliam seems as much iconoclastic as non longer driven to loving the humanity of Quohen at all as much as leaving a veneer of a vision with a rendition of Radiohead's 'Creep', and at this providing one should wonder a bit of ambiguity. Clearly Quohen the product of his times, where given to imagining what were impressed upon him, and all the more having rejected part of such reality, and what of anything else? Or as if to say, Quohen a product of his times departs from being understood as being something less, one should imagine potentially...if it weren't the condition of so many phobias having origins in such world owing to the likes of evils of a technocratic society gone awry, it were an added resentment that the character Quohen were much given like driven propagandist commercialism. The script it seems might be written for a technological hyper obsessive more interested in poor use of character archetypes than anything driven one should wonder in a typified Gilliam manner, even here it seems the protagonist (played then by Christopher Plummer) were more sympathetic even if supposedly tricking souls, because of a previous Faustian compact (or one should wonder another Mancom based corporate perversion in assuaging the common man), into residing in a false heaven or hell, as were the case in Gilliam's Dr. Parnassus. On the other hand, Gilliam's ploy seems more exactly as it were being exactly the thing that were being satirized, or at least having origins and a career slated at utilizing the coffers of Mancom for such a purpose. His over use and exaggerations might find in some hyperbolic world, one should even grains of truth before distortions had maligned such intent. Its hard to know exactly where the Quohens exist (other than a world that evidently resented potentially the likes of Google as one larger entity and at that one should wonder a little more complaining of the at times Big Brother military industrial complex that implored such a script), except supposedly somewhere, and satire it seems could run into so much distaste if it weren't an insult to the very heart of humanity that satire might often be given. Satire, for instance, seems only to ring hollow in running the lower parts of humanity that much more into the ground on what might sound as merely false notes only obscenely adulterated by investment and money. The script weren't only hollow in as much as the often times collision found by at times online cyber stalking, one should wonder it should seem that much more a departure for Gilliam.
If it weren't that people had obviously given so little interest in the likes of Quohen, the movie and narrative it seems alike might notoriously be remembered in some way, and relativistic moral ism self evident. Of course, the real life Quohen often be given to the attentions of a police/corporate state, albeit in reality modulating here and there on political whims and air alone. Departure in the script, reads not really that Quohen were as much an escapist of life as might be imagined, or really having at that so much sacrosanct a space that were any more so relative to anyone else...Readers are sympathetic to quiet homes are they not? And where deification commenced in such a corporate/police state, its all the more harder in knowing or really in believing, and neither being conceived so much in mind or reality, satire such as this could easily run on thin ice. Not that it mattered one should imagine, for those with little to lose in stating otherwise. Quohen isn't right as conceived here, or could be better fitting for the defector supposedly shot down on live television before Rogue's Fahrenheit 451 screened audience, only Gilliam isn't doing any favors in providing a buy. By today's standards the undercurrents of the world merely hint at the supermarket sanitation to be had in defining what clearly the world might seem to be (a yanked television ads, seems to suggest people so hard up for supposedly donating in the sanitary fascist version...I hint that is one reason why the ad could have been pulled?), and on this bit of departure, it seems Gilliam's dystopian is a walk in the park by comparison, and likely quite a bit of exploitation to be had.
Shutter Island (2010)
Beautifully labyrinthine film
I'll just offer another analysis relative to some others I've seen. Teddy Daniel is Laeddis? Gaslighted and conveniently made to disappear? Or truly as suggested Laeddis and really allowed to role play a federal Marshal while being one of the more dangerously insane patients of Ward C? My interpretation is that there are too many ambiguities remaining ultimately to resolve Teddy as Laeddis. The film's setting is well done. Highly recommended film!