Back in the 1980's, the Kodak Film Company made a series of 30-second and 1-minute commercials entitled America, with taglines such as Kodak Film, because memories fade, and Kodak Film, because time goes by. All were heartwarming, some were amusing, and all were reminiscent of a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, but compressed to 30 or 60 seconds. The longer ones were shown only a few times during their run, and they seemed to go on forever because viewers are accustomed to 15 and 30-second ads. Some were only 30 seconds in the first place and were seen often. My favorite one is a 30-second spot featuring a young man on a motorcycle traveling through Wyoming. All the other America commercials can be searched out on YouTube.
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Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
CARGO The best sci-fi movie I've seen recently!
I have just finished watching what I think to be one of the best science-fiction movies I've seen in a very long time. And SURPRISE it's from Switzerland.
Here's the website for it, there's a trailer http://www.cargoderfilm.ch/. If you can't find it at the video store or online anywhere, you can buy it here Cargo (2009)
.
From the very first few minutes of the movie you know you're in store for state-of-the-art special effects, and none of those cheesy effects that look like a cartoon. And none of the big BLAST fireball explosions either. This is a a true science-fiction movie, not a shoot-'em-up popcorn flick.
Imagine most of Earth's population living in gigantic and very old space stations orbiting Earth because the planet has finally become very near to being totally uninhabitable. The solution? Go to planet Rhea, where terraforming has made it habitable. But it's very expensive to travel there and not everyone can go. The movie's heroine, Dr. Portmann, has a sister who did make it there, many years ago, by winning a lottery and getting a Visa to travel. Now Dr. Portmann has signed up to be crew doctor on a cargo ship, an 8-year stint, bringing supplies and building materials to a distant space station. Four years there, four years back. But she'll earn enough money to pay for a trip to Rhea and rejoin her sister and family.
The cargo ship is old, cranky and huge. Similar to the old and worn Nostromo in Alien (1979)
. Add a bit of mystery and a few thrills, all surrounded by some of the best special effects and sets you'll ever see, and you have the makings of a wonderful science-fiction movie.
Don't let the sub-titles scare you, there isn't that much dialogue. Just watch it. Enjoy true sci-fi for a change.
Here's the website for it, there's a trailer http://www.cargoderfilm.ch/. If you can't find it at the video store or online anywhere, you can buy it here Cargo (2009)
.From the very first few minutes of the movie you know you're in store for state-of-the-art special effects, and none of those cheesy effects that look like a cartoon. And none of the big BLAST fireball explosions either. This is a a true science-fiction movie, not a shoot-'em-up popcorn flick.
Imagine most of Earth's population living in gigantic and very old space stations orbiting Earth because the planet has finally become very near to being totally uninhabitable. The solution? Go to planet Rhea, where terraforming has made it habitable. But it's very expensive to travel there and not everyone can go. The movie's heroine, Dr. Portmann, has a sister who did make it there, many years ago, by winning a lottery and getting a Visa to travel. Now Dr. Portmann has signed up to be crew doctor on a cargo ship, an 8-year stint, bringing supplies and building materials to a distant space station. Four years there, four years back. But she'll earn enough money to pay for a trip to Rhea and rejoin her sister and family.
The cargo ship is old, cranky and huge. Similar to the old and worn Nostromo in Alien (1979)
. Add a bit of mystery and a few thrills, all surrounded by some of the best special effects and sets you'll ever see, and you have the makings of a wonderful science-fiction movie. Don't let the sub-titles scare you, there isn't that much dialogue. Just watch it. Enjoy true sci-fi for a change.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Welcome!
After many email requests about other movies to watch and learn about to enhance those in my book, Movies for the Moron, some wondering if a second book is in the works, some asking for more recommendations in a specific genre, some asking for more information on a certain entry in the book, I decided to create this blog to allow me to reach my readers and respond to those requests in a timely manner.
In other words, this is faster than writing another book.
Entries that will follow will not only add more details, more commentary, and further insight to those movies in the book, but the entries will also have film suggestions to complement those movies and genres.
I'll also try to give commentary on movies I've recently seen so you can be aware of what you should and should not be renting or buying. There isn't anything worse than spending money on a movie only to discover, 15 minutes or less into it, that it's a rotten movie and you've wasted your money and ruined your evening. And all those people who told you it was a "really good movie" only did so because they already wasted money on it and don't want anyone else to know what a stupid thing they did.
You can rest assured any movies suggested here on this blog will be worth it.
If anyone has any questions or suggestions, about movies or the book or this blog, this is the place to post them. Or just email me. Either way's ok with me.
To all those who wondered if my book really was in that episode of NCIS on CBS last year, yes it was. A lot of viewers thought the book was just a prop, but no, it's a real book. The book you bought.
Once again, welcome to the Movies for the Moron blog, and thanks for reading.
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For information about my other books, click here.
In other words, this is faster than writing another book.
Entries that will follow will not only add more details, more commentary, and further insight to those movies in the book, but the entries will also have film suggestions to complement those movies and genres.
I'll also try to give commentary on movies I've recently seen so you can be aware of what you should and should not be renting or buying. There isn't anything worse than spending money on a movie only to discover, 15 minutes or less into it, that it's a rotten movie and you've wasted your money and ruined your evening. And all those people who told you it was a "really good movie" only did so because they already wasted money on it and don't want anyone else to know what a stupid thing they did.
You can rest assured any movies suggested here on this blog will be worth it.
If anyone has any questions or suggestions, about movies or the book or this blog, this is the place to post them. Or just email me. Either way's ok with me.
To all those who wondered if my book really was in that episode of NCIS on CBS last year, yes it was. A lot of viewers thought the book was just a prop, but no, it's a real book. The book you bought.
Once again, welcome to the Movies for the Moron blog, and thanks for reading.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For information about my other books, click here.
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