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Paul_Cowan
Reviews
Warrior (2019)
Real SF history
SF itself has hidden its own unsavory history and so fake SF history is everywhere. In Warrior they call all Non orientals "Ducks" but really the "Sidney Ducks" and the "Hounds" were gangs of convicts from Australia who ran organized crime outside of chinatown. I understand that "Mok Duk" was a powerful tong gang in Chinatown. The political power behind the mayor was the vigilanties, led by William T. Coleman . They took over city government in 1854 and 1856 and they ran it from behind the scenes to the end of the century. In 1877 "Sandlot orators" stirred up anti chinese sentiment among the workers and who formed a mob to burn down the office of the Pacific Steamship Company which was bringing in Chinese. The Mayor called in Mr. Coleman and he called out a small army armed with ax handles. They had a giant bar fight with the anti chinese rioters and they broke many bones. No more trouble from the anti chinese rioters and the vigilantes went out of sight again. After that California still needed workers so Chinese men could come in but chinese women could not. That all was the SF setup to the end of the century. If this story is in 1875 then the vigilantes through their "Peoples Party" were still running things in SF.
Andor (2022)
Future too like the present
I like that the lower class rides beat up old floating ground cars and the senator rides something that we can recognize as a limo. It has a hood in front; I wonder what might be under it. The lower class like Andor's mother can afford a personal droid but the upper class at the party does nor have them. They would be shiny things that would replace saevants bringing food and. Drinks. They also might might have seats so you could ride them. Why does Andor's mother have a cane ? By then everyone might have light exoskeletons. We are developing those now. Why do the future weapons look like Glock pistols ? By then a weapon should look totaly different, if it spits energized plasma instead of bullets.
The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
Is this truly an insight in to Charles Dickens creative process ?
Did Charles Dickens have imaginaty friends and enemies who became his characters ? He talked them and they talked to him with words that he actually heard chance people say. They themselves suggested the stories and then he just wrote them down. There really was a Martin Chuzzlewit and a person named Bob Marley. Once he had the name Scrooge composite of all too many people he met became the character. Oh do, do say that this was actually the way it was to give needed hope and inspiration to many a developing writer ! He drew inspiration from all around himself. Was a
He actually in a mizerable apprenticeship. Was his Father Mr. Mcawber ? I hope that tis true. As many times as I have seen Christmas carol in so many versions, I admit that this version did make me cry, I dont know why.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023)
Bass Reevs was the real lone ranger
Forget the old tv show that everyone knows. That was a mishmash that never showed a black person in any way I can remember. There was a faithful Indian companion named Tonto. Lenny Bruce said that the Lone Ranger was gay and the mask hid mascara. Thats how he got censored back then. As I understand Reeves had the whole state of Oklahoma to patrol. He did well doing the "Respectful" act with whites till they let him get close. Then he could outdraw and outshoot any of them. Wanted dead or alive was a real thing back then. As for this show, I liked the Civil War reenactment that opened the first episode.
Stowaway (2021)
Scu fi Stuff missed
When producers allow something unscientific in a production its a slap in the face to sci fi fans. They mentoin artifical gravity. Its not the very distant future so that has to come from centrifugal force. We see the earth passing the winwows periodically so centrifugal force would push them towards it. Instead they are standing ar right angles to it. So I lost you at the start ? Who cares about how they eat and breathe and stand and other science stuff ? Its just a show so just relax ? Classic sci fi includes some plausibility and so ignoring that ruins the story. Inwatch them emote while there is a glaring error that shows it to be a fake and that just ruins it for me.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Saw it in the theatre
I saw this when I was a little kid. I was terrified of the giant squid. Later when we went to Disneland, the squid was on display and I was too scared to see it. A few years ago I went to Disneyland again and I wondered if the squid was still there. It was ! The old gentelman was in a diorama on the submarine ride still bravely trying to wave one last functional tentacle. This film inspired me to read all of Jules Verne. To this day if I mention Captain Nemo they think I am some kind of steampunk. Today this film is on Creature feature with Vincent, Tangella and Livingston, on youtube. Even if it is just thr tv film I will be there.
The Private Life of Samuel Pepys (2003)
Good period movie
It is more interesting if you did read Pepys diary. He was a flashlight in to a more gritty time in history. Clearly whoever wrote this only read the cliff notes. They missed the part where his wife almost burned his balls off with a red hot fireplace poker. She did that because she caught him feeling up the maids "cuny". She never found out about his other side pieces. In the plague year he retreated in th a country inn where he dined on venison pasty and , as usual, ogled every comley wench. He said more or less, " Saw this day in church lord (something I forget) and his wife who is a fine figure of a black woman and their daughters. ". It was a different world. No spoilers, the writers ignored all that.
Creature Features (2016)
Star odessey
Cheap o italian scifi films had the best uniforms and mustaches.
The R2 ripoff robot is obviously a garbage can with someone inside.
I think creature features could easily make a copy of that robot.
Colosseum (2022)
Good documentary
I found it informative
One of the engineers who built it had a scene of the construction on his tomb. It shows a crane capable of lifting six ton blocks 100 feet. He must have known about the mathematics of Pythagoras and Archimedes. How did he do trigonometry with Roman numerals ?
There were lots of mozaic portraits of gladiators. You see their names and if they died there is a zero with a stroke through it. It inspires me to someday go to Rome and see it.
Colosseum: The Gladiators (2022)
Documentary that adds to your knowledge
Historic dramatization backed up by short talks by scholars. They have found eyewitness accounts (By ancient poets) , mozaic illustrations, and archaeological discoveries. I have not seen any of these things before, and I know my Roman history pretty well. It gets its name from the giant statue of Nero that stood out front, which they called the collossus.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
A melissa masterpiece
New York can forgive murder, they do it all the time, but they could not forgive a literary crime. As for Mellissa she looks a lot older in 2018 than she does now. Is makeup that good ?
Direktøren for det hele (2006)
The boss of it all is a very good totally translatable film
The place would be Silicon Valley. The owner alone knows his startup is ultimately worthless, like Theranos. The buyer is from Texas. The actor is an out of work no one from San Francisco who is obsessed by a completely unknown playwright. It could be a big comedy.
How It Ends (2018)
Where are the zombies ?
Just like every other zombie film only no zombies, just bugging out. It gets you if you put yourself in their place and ask " What would I do"?
Only i wouldnt do that.
Vikings: Valhalla (2022)
Hollywood does historic romance only
Dont expact much history here. There is some however. Eric, and Fredis were real, read the saga of Eric the Red, which they mention, and the saga of Thorffinn Carlsfeni where Fredis Ericksdotter is mentioned. That is the Vilings actual account. One thing is that the Greenlanders were known for wearing polar bear fur which was a Viking fashion statement. It seems there was global warming it their time and bears were coming south. Of course the TV cant show that.
Wag the Dog (1997)
Life imitates art
Everyone should take another look at "Wag the Dog". They gin up a war to boost a presidents failing ratings. Biden is jiggling a shiny thing to distract the American people because he has absolute contempt fot their intelligence. He is going to say how tough he was in the face of non existent foreign aggression. As for Putin he gets to look good in Russia by using threats to keep Ukrane out of Nato and Biden will give him that.
Cry Macho (2021)
A good Clint Eastwood film
Yes the hero is an old washed up cowboy who gets another second chance. Sentimental but as you age Eastwoods heros become more relevant. Yes older women do go for older men.
Tobor the Great (1954)
Who was Tobor ?
Who "Played" Tobor ? Who fwas in the robot suit ? No credits for the most important character in this silly film . Thats all I want to ssay, but i have to have one hundred and fifty words here . This film is a solid relic of the ninteenfifties, but I bet you could renmake it today with updated effects and plot .
Tyrant (2014)
T 72 tank
Where did a tv production get an old T 72 tank ? It was only there one episode. The action seemed to slow down when that director left. It jumped the shark then.
Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda (2014)
Corman rides again !
This is what happens when you give Corman CGI ! He could make these things forever. How many hours have been wasted watchingbhis films ?
The Mandalorian (2019)
So much appropriation!
It's like a game spotting the ripped off premises. Eggs that contain a face hugger and a big one nearby. That's Alien, isn't it? A giant worm that moves about under the desert. Like the ones in Dune ? A village where the peasants need to recruit out of work warriors to drive off bandits. The Seven Samurai and the Magnificent Seven, of course. A desert town with a saloon and a sherif, that's half of westerns ever made. Does the hero sound a bit like Clint Eastwood ? It's just strange to see that Jawas are not so bad once you get to know them and that Tuscans can stand in for native Americans.
Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
Every Star Trek discovery episode has something scientifically retarded.
A light which is five light years away from anything is suddenly seen across the galaxy. The writers did not know or care what a light year is. A gesture of contempt to the fans. Inject yourself with alien dna and get alien powers. They don't know how dna works.
Victorian Farm (2009)
All those who talk about off grid must see this.
These people are doing the actual sustainable off grid life. Tis a hard life. Look at what Ruth doing the washing, makes dresses, slaughters animals, tends stock, etc.
The Gong Show (1976)
Gong show was the pioneer
What is America's got Talent but a gussied up Gong show ? It still works
The Horse Soldiers (1959)
Great civil war film
Based an an actual incident called Grierson's raid. Look for the scene where they make Sherman hairpins to wreck a railroad.
Cave Women on Mars (2008)
Tales of past future
We are our of dumb 1950s films so we have to make more. This guy is out doing Corman, with a new film every year.