Our little movie watching club
12 Angry Men
The film had so much drama. The interplay between Juror #3 and Henry Fonda was simply incredible. It is great to watch a movie where there are so few special effects. The actors themselves carried the movie and in such a small confined area. You could feel yourself getting sucked into each and every one of them.
Also interesting to see how someone's 'life on the line' meant so little to some of the jurors ...at first. When you see someone, in this case Juror #7, more worrried about missing a baseball game then possibly sending a man to his death you have to sit back and take notice. The judge stated that they needed to be aware that their verdict had the probable outcome of a death sentence for the kid.
Thankfully they were sequestered. The beliefs of one man who was willing to stand his ground and question the evidence helped all the rest to take a look within.. a good look. Otherwise the kid wouldn't have stood a chance.
It was a great movie that not only entertained, but educated people on the importance of proper jury duty. It spoke volumes. 100%.
The Bad Sleep Well
Often dubbed as a contemporary version of Hamlet with a touch of sardonic humor and noirish vision. It's my third viewings on this film. I loved it a lot, not only is it very classically noir, it is vicious noir! This film is filled with images that are oddly surreal. The wedding party presented as a stage show for the keystone cop press, crippled girl stumbling to the wedding march, Wada weeps at his own funeral, the shocking and depressing ending. The film starts out great and is strong throughout, it manages to go from social commentary to personal tragedy and it's solid and powerful. Most people compared it with High and Low, but there's no comparison.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
I've heard this is the most friendly for non-Trekkies. I liked a lot of the comedy here. The two scenes that really stand out are Chekov asking for "Nuclwer Wessels" in a heavy Russian accent, and Spock giving the nerve pinch to the loud obnoxious punk on the bus. There are several other scenes that are quite funny without getting stupid. I like Spock swimming the the whales. Spock can talk to the whales. "He did too much LDS in the 60's", said Captain Kirk. Overall I enjoy it.
Listen to Sakamoto Ryuichi - Seven Samurai
The Guardian, Operation Clark County
Then, there is this called Operation Clark County, the Guardian has set up a web page in which readers can click a button to "Get a Voter" from a voter registration list that the newspaper bought. Readers are advised be courteous, the four best letter writes will win a trip to Clark County.
The result of the American election in less than three weeks could have huge consequences for the whole world. Yet those of us outside the 50 states have had no say in it. Until now, that is.
The article itself makes it clear how counterproductive a badly phrased letter could be. But I can see the point, quite apart from the Guardian's obvious desire to see Bush defeated. Because of the global power of the U.S, this election affects non-Americans far more that, say, a Thai election would affect non-Thai. Thus, foreigners do have a valid reason to try to influence the result - because the result will influence them.
Some Americans are getting upset, a selection of letters received in response from Clark County is on the page entitled Dear Limey Assholes
It's fair to say that the reaction has not been wholly as intended by the Guardian. In all seriousness, this move is so insulting on the Guardian's part that I can only assume that its editors, reading these types of responses, are genuinely and sincerely mystified that residents of Clark County aren't embracing the British intervention with open arms.
Listen to Metalica - For whom the bell tolls