Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Plot: In the small town of Santa Mira, a Doctor discovers his friends and neighbors are being replaced by emotionless aliens.
Stars: Kevin McCarthy, Diane Wynter, Carolyn Jones

SF Classic that has been remade many times. The original is still the best, since the camera work, acting, casting, and direction are very good, and at 80 minutes the story moves and never lets up. However, the set design, score, and special effects are at a B movie level. Producer/Director Don Siegel didn't have the budget to do better.

The film manages to cram a lot of plot into very little time. Like the 1978 version, the film neatly divides into three acts:

Act I -  We meet the main characters and find out that people are changing and no one knows why
Act II - Dr. Bennell and Jack Belicec find a pod person and try  to warn the authorities about the dangerous pods.

Act II -  Dr. Bennell and Becky Driscoll try to escape Santa Mira and warn the rest of America, while the police and pods chase after them.

The superiority of the 1956 version over the 1978 version 

1) The casting. Kevin McCarthy and Diane Wynter are much more attractive, and likable pair.

2)  Act I is much shorter,   We find the first Pod person at the 20 minute mark.  The '78 takes 40 minutes.

3)  The need for Dr. Bennell to escape and warn America,  is much more engaging. The pods have only taken over a small town, they can still be stopped.

4)  Seeing people's relatives, friends, and neighbors being turned into Pods is more impactful than seeing Big city strangers as is done in the 78 version.

5)  Dr. Bennell isn't a  Rambo,  he injects two men with knockout drugs, and hides in an old mine. That's it.

Best Scene:    Bennell kisses Becky and realizes she's turned Pod.

Best Quote:

Bennell : This is the oddest thing I've ever heard of. Let's hope we don't catch it. I'd hate to wake up some morning and find out that you weren't you.

Becky: I'm not the high school kid you used to romance, so how can you tell?

Bennell : You really want to know?

Becky : Yes

[Miles kisses Becky] 

Bennell: Mmmm, you're Becky Driscoll, all right!

Becky: Is this an example of your bedside manner, doctor?

Bennell : No, ma'am. That comes later.

Kauffman : Love, desire, ambition, faith - without them, life's so simple, believe me.

Bennell : I don't want any part of it.

Kauffman : You're forgetting something, Miles.

Bennell : What's that?

Kauffman : You have no choice.

Star Trek TNG - Ensign Ro

I had planned to write my usual brief reviews of TNG episodes, but I disliked "Ensign Ro" so much I decided to write more. Here's why I disliked it:

A Precursor to Dark and Gritty Star Trek
The episode is a teeing up the DS9 Franchise. Depending on who you read, Ensign Ro was supposed to be Sikso's Bajorian 2nd in Command  aka "Kira" played by Nana Visitor. This is our introduction to her, and Bajorians in general. Here they aren't a recently occupied planet, instead the Cardassians have forced them off Bajor and they exist in refugee camps and as "roaming nomads". But this episode introduces a lot of negative elements and thinly disguised 20th century politics we get on DS9:

Terrorism: The Bajorians have supposedly wiped out a Federation colony to attract attention to their cause

Cardassian atrocity porn: We listen to Ensign Ro tell us that as a child she was forced to watch her father be tortured to death - despite begging for mercy.

Double-dealing and lies: The Cardassians convince the Admiral  Kennelly that the Bajorians are terrorists. But *pysch* it was actually a false flag attack by the Cardassians. The Admiral then lies to Picard and tells him to negotiate and help the Bajorians, but *psych* his actual plan is to let the Cardassians destroy the Bajorians. The Admiral tells Picard Ensign Ro is under his command but *pysch*, he's secretely telling Ensign Ro what to do.Picard then lies to Admiral and pretends to allow the Cardassians to destroy the Bajorians on their ship but *pysch* its all a fake. The ship was empty.

Self-righteous victimhood: The Bajorians constantly throw their tragic fate in Picard's face, and demand why the Federation stood by and "let it happen".

Stupid/Dishonorable Star Fleet Command - Once again, the higher-ups are shown to be not just liars and stupid, but amoral in their convoluted plans.  Admiral Kennelly amorally uses Picard and Ro as his pawns to implement his secret plan to kill the terrorists. But he's too dumb to understand he's being used by the Cardassians.  So, we have the Cardassians using Star fleet command and the Command in turn using its subordinates in an immoral action.  

Obnoxious Ethnic Pride:  Because the Bajorians are "victims", Ensign Ro feels she has  the right to constantly remind everyone (1) that she's proud to be  Bajorian,  dammit, (2) she's not going to "assimilate" and (3)  that she's a VICTIM.  And (4) the Federation didn't help Bajor enough. Example: Ro tells Picard that Bajorians have their last name first. And he'd better understand that. 

Picard acts like a total cuck and accepts this.  He then tells us that "the Bajorians were philosphers and artists when humans hadn't learned to walk errect." Later, he whines that Bajorians are tired of sympathy and promises. The subtext is we're all supposed to accept this obnoxious behavior because we OWE the Bajorians.  We LET THEM DOWN.  How precisely, the Federation did this is skipped over.  The TNG writers only give us one side.  

They leave out the obvious comeback that the Universe is a big place  with lots of victims and the Federation can't help everyone, and there's no logical reason why Group X being oppressed by say the Romulans is less worthy of Federation help then the Bajorians. Further, The Federation doesn't exist to run around the Universe helping Non-Federation peoples.  And what did Bajor ever do for the Federation? And who did they ever help?  All the moral obligation goes one-way.

Again, does this remind you of some real-life 21st Century attitudes?  It should.

The Strong woman Trope

Ro basically acts like a man with Tits.  She's aggressive, obnoxious, curt, and insubordinate. Despite her record of disobeying orders and getting 7 people killed, Picard just thinks she wonderful and offers her a job on the Enterprise!  We're supposed to accept all this because she's a STRONG Women.  And we are supposed to like that because uh... its something we're supposed to like.  Except I didn't.  I like my strong women to be believable WOMEN. And not fakes.

Summary:  Another over-rated TNG episode due to politics.  The amazing thing is TNG fans LOVE Ensign Ro.  I was astounded the writers created a character who killed 7 fellow crewmembers by arrogantly disobeying orders, and we're supposed to feel sorry FOR HER.  

Not only that, but instead of being humbled by her deadly error in judgment, she's cocky and arrogant!  She agrees to stay with Star Fleet because "Starfleet has a lot to learn from me",  y'mean like how to disobey orders, get 7 people killed, but somehow not get courtmaritaled but praised for not doing much of anything? That really is a strong woman.

Retreat, Hell (1952)

Plot:  We follow the exploits of US Marine Battalion in the Korean War, from the landing at Inchon, to the advance into North Korea, and then the famous fighting withdrawl back from Chosin. 

Stars:  Frank Lovejoy, Richard Carlson, Russ Tamblyn

Routine, well-acted, short (95 minute) B&W war movie celebrating the heroism  and professionalism of the Marines.  Its solid but unspectactular.  There isn't a lot of flag-waving or anti-communist rhetoric.  In fact the issues surrounding the war are only lightly touched on.  The enemy are shown to be tough and devious.  

Its too bad this is the only film which details the 1950 epic retreat through rough mountainious terrain in cold bitter weather, fighting through Chinese blocking forces.    It was one of the Marine Corps finest hours.

Summary:  If you're interested in the War movies, the Korean war or Marine Corps history, its worth a look.   

Invasion of the body Snatchers (1978)

Stars: Donald Sutherland, Jeffrey Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, Brooke Adams
Plot: Remake of 1950s classic. When strange seeds drift to earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city's residents one body at a time.

Movie Structure
Act I - 40 minutes - Brooke Adams feels her husband isn't the "real Geoffrey" and that people are changing. Sutherland and Nimoy (Kibner the pyschiatrist) tell her otherwise.
Act II - 40 minutes - Goldblum and Sutherland find half-formed pod persons and they try to convince Nimoy, and the SF Mayor that Pods are taking over.
Act III - 35 minutes - Realizing that the police and almost everyone else is a Pod, Sutherland and Adams try to leave SF. They try to fight off the Pods before the end.

What Pauline Kael Thought
She loved it, declaring the movie "more sheer fun than any movie since Jaws or Carrie". She was "laughng and scared" even before the titles came on.  It was the American "Movie of the Year" an instant "SF Classic".  And she ended her review:  "It may be the best movie of its kind ever made."

Per Kael: 

• Script has some of the funniest lines ever heard on the screen. 
• Characters - believable and likable. 
• Brooke Adams was Strong and resilient with a "Loopy sense of humor" and an "odd attractiveness"  while Goldblum "ignores his handsomness and delivers his own goofy timing".
• Special effects were amazing.  Score  = Dazzling. 

Funniest Dialogue:

Goldblum: His ideas are garbage. His books are Garbage.
Woman: How can you say that about a man like Kibner.
Goldblum: Not a man like Kibner. I'm saying it about Kibner. He dashes a book off every six months.
Takes me six months to write one line.
Woman: Why?
Goldblum: 'Cos I pick each word individually.

What I thought
Padded, often sluggish, Science Fiction Thriller, that takes a long time to get interesting. While I loved the location shots of 1978 San Francisco, setting the plot in a big city deadened the impact of characters seeing others turn pod. We're further distanced from the action by an obviously bored Donald Sutherland (often looking like drowned rat) and a dull, muted Leonard Nimoy.  We're never really given a reason to care about our "Heroes", and when they turned "Pod Evil" my reaction was "Well, that's interesting".

The chase scene in the '56 version was engaging since we not only liked Kevin McCarthy, he had to get away to warn everyone else. In this version, it seems everyone in San Francisco from the Mayor on down have been turned into Pods. And Sutherland has already warned the Feds. So, he's only saving himself, and frankly, I didn't care that much about him.

Further, the movie, despite being 115 minutes, actually has less plot than the the 56 version. We get too many talky scenes that go nonwhere, too many tensionless chases, and too many people we don't care about. Kael claimed the script was "full of wit", which means we weren't watching the same movie. The films 2nd funniest dialogue relates to a rat turd in someone's soup.

Rewachability Factor:  Low. The movie is incredibly boring the 2nd time round.  Exceptions:  The best scenes (see below) still hold up.  As does the Book party with Goldblum getting off a few funny lines. 

Best Scenes

1. Sutherland goes to sleep and a pod plant sends a shoot up his sleeve. He later wakens with 4 pod people next to him.
2. Sutherland: "How do you know my name. I never told you my name!"
3. Nimoy and Goldblum capture Sutherland and Adams to turn them Pod.

Worst Scene
Sutherland destroys a Pod "factory" ala Rambo with nothing more than a fire ax.

Top Gun Maverick (2022)

The most amazing thing about "Top Gun Maverick" is 60 year old Tom Cruise. He's the most youthful 60 year old I've ever seen, even when you allow for Hollywood "Magic". Is he taking a human growth hormone or anti-aging pills? Or is it just clean living and a deal with the Devil?

Anyway, the movie is enjoyable - if brainless. Lots of Jets. Lots of things that go boom. Lots of "Brass" telling Maverick to shape up or ship out. Lots of Tom on his motorbike and flirting with babes that are way too young for him. Of course, its not as good as the original 

And we get the standard female "kickass" pilots and standard oversupply of black Admirals and authority figures.

But the real problem is this: Why are we watching 60 year old Tom Cruise? Why aren't we watching a 30-40 year old more talented actor? They must exist.

Summary: Good movie for those living in the past or who like action movies with lots of air combat. Best seen in the theater or on the biggest TV screen possible.

Ordinary People (1980)

Plot: The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father and the guilt-ridden younger son.

Stars: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore,  Timothy Hutton

David Denby Take:

American Protestants are apparently the only people on earth who cannot eat and talk at the same time. At least that’s what I’ve learned at such recent movies as The Heartbreak Kid, Annie Hall, Interiors, and the new Ordinary People, all of which have featured a scene in which the Wasps sit down to dinner only to discover that they cannot have a conversation. The Ghastly Wasp Eating Scene is an atonal chamber symphony of missed connections and non sequiturs, trailing off into a terrible silence. Of course, the hapless conversations are meant to be symptomatic of a greater malaise—the atrophy of heart and soul. Our popular culture is fixated on the notion that Wasps can’t laugh or feel.

Ordinary People, the first film directed by Robert Redford, is the most explicit version of this dubious thesis ever put on film.

My Opinon

Well acted, if somewhat  unconvincing, family drama remarkable for (1) winning an Oscar and (2) having MTM play against type as a chillingly repressed character.  Playing Timonthy Hutton's mother,  "Beth", MTM is the villain of the piece as she seems uncaring toward her son recovering from a suicide attempt.  She's the most interesting character in the film but unfortunately MTM is a supporting character.  The film constantly cuts away from her,  to focus in on Huttons' less interesting interactions with his HS friends, swim coach, Girlfriend, and Karen - who also attempted suicide. Even worse, we get 20 minutes of Hutton with his Jewish Psychiatrist, getting him to "Feel" and face his guilt. 

Sutherland adds little as MTM husband due to his usual dullness and odd looks. However, the film did keep me interested when core family relationship was in the spotlight.  Which was about 50 minutes out of 120.

More on Beth

Not only does the film need more "Beth Time" we  never get a sense of her as a real character.  Instead of being a real-live rounded person, who's perhaps still in shock/grief from the death of her oldest son, and her younger son's suicide attempt, we're presented with a cold-hearted woman, a "WASP witch" (Pauline Kael), who only cares for appearances. And can't love.  

Further, the film doesn't really give her side of the story. And nothing she does justifies Sutherland more or less telling her off and reading  her out the family. 

Summary:  More "After-school special" than Ingmar Bergman,  Ordinary People plays to the mass audience. Well acted, but we ge too much about Timonthy Hutton and his HS friends and not enough on the inner-family backstory and dynamics.  The dull Jewish Pyschiatrist drags down the movie even more.  Too bad, because MTM gives an excellent performance. 

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Pennies From Heaven (1981)

Plot: A Depression-era sheet-music salesman and his innocent schoolteacher mistress try to escape their dreary lives through popular music .
Stars: Bernadette Peters, Christopher Walken, Steve Martin.

What did Pauline Kael Think?   She wrote one of her border-line hysterical "this is so great" reviews. Sample?  “ Pennies from Heaven is the most emotional movie musical I’ve ever seen. It’s a stylized mythology of the Depression which uses the popular songs of the period as expressions of people’s deepest longings—for sex, for romance, for money, for a high good time. There’s something new going on—something thrilling—when the characters in a musical are archetypes yet are intensely alive…. Steve Martin … gives an almost incredibly controlled performance, and Bernadette Peters is mysteriously right in every nuance. 

What Did I think? This movie should be shelved under "What were they thinking?". It was madness  to take a dark 7.5 hour  BBC TV series and then:

• transfer it to an American setting
• compress it down to 98 minutes. and 
• replace Hoskins and Campbell with steve Martin and Bernadette Peters

1) In the series, each 72  minute episode had perhaps 12 minutes of lip-synched music.  The other 60 minutes were dramatic. As a result the device (or gimmick) added to drama, it didn't dominate it. But by using 20 minutes of lip-synching in a 98 minute movie, the gimmick becomes overbearing.  Before too long, I stopped being amused and become annoyed and bored.  And why lip-synch Peters and Martin?  They can sing.

2) By compressing the "Book" from 6 hours to 75 minutes, you lose the characters and turn the story from "dark" to miserable and sleezy.  And by transfereing it to the USA you lose all the context that made the story bearable.

3) And Steve Martin is not a great actor - he's a comedian.  For some reason, he often looks unattracive in the movie.  And, you cant take him seriously.  You watch him and Peters and think, "Why aren't they being funny?".   

In old Hollywood, they wouldn've junked the dark story and written a cheerful musical with some comedy.  But new Hollywood didn't.  And they bombed.

Summary:  There are a couple great song and dance numbers.  Watch those, skip everything else.  

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989)

I was never the greatest Indiana Jones fan. But the first two films were often fresh, funny, and exciting, and which is more than I say for Last Crusade. A lazy rehash of the first film, we once again have Harrison Ford battling Nazis for possession of a religious artifact with mysterious powers. In this case, its the "Holy Grail" of all things.

Another negative (surprisingly) is Sean Connery. I seem to be alone in thinking he's miscast and his character a drag. One problem? He and Harrison Ford don't make a good pair. I didn't believe them as father and son, and while they talk/bicker, they don't generate any energy - comic or otherwise.  Connery was too subdued and monotone. Imagine, someone with more charisma, like George C. Scott, or Heston in the role!

And then there are the fights, chases, and stunts which not only seem familiar they lack the energy and brilliance of the first two films.Near the end, I had to struggle to stay engaged. The entire tank chase was tedious in the extreme.

Funniest Moment: Hitler mistakes Indy for a fan, and signs his book, instead of arresting him.

Summary:  See the first two Raiders films.  Skip this one. 

Succession - Season Two

Highly praised HBO TV show. I was hoping this was a comedy show, but it seems to be a Dramedy. Which I am completely uninterested in. Because I don't care about Rich people running a "Mega Media" Corporation. I also found the constant profanity (a HBO specialty) and the endless "slow talking" annoying.

But I can see why others like it. Its well acted and well written. I just don't care about the characters.