PRESCRIPTION THUGS

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REVIEWED

This is about 1 1/2 hr long documentary by Chris Bell who also had another important documentary on Steroids abused. This documentary delivered an important subject straight on like any other good films about something that need public awareness like Concussions, Spotlight, Truth etc. 

Its really touches the heart because it is whats happening with the Director/Writer (CB). His brother Mike Bell who was a wrestler died because of it. We all know that the WWE wrestling are all staged for fun. The fights are choreographed and not real. And what you dont know is that there are wrestlers who are in it to loose and they are called "Jobber". Mike Bell was in the ring 250 times and lost 250 times ! And that is commitment ! Then he died due to addiction to prescription drugs. "Legal" drugs he took to ease his pain due to his job.

There are many high points in this documentary. Its a serious one and its an important one. How in corporate America the Big Pharma get away with it just like the Tobacco industry, Oil Industry and many others. One reason to blame was when Pres Clinton allowed pharmacy advertisement in the medias. Thats where the spike of misused rosed. Thank god this country has not resorted to there yet. But who knows it will eventually.

But the message is this - if we are kept on being influenced by them and we support them thats how they keep on growing and growing. An addiction is when you cannot control what you take or do but they do it to you instead. We like to blame everyone but when we are the one who let them flourish and prosper thats where the blame should go to, to us.

There's one part that says that when we start to depend on 1 drug it will caused us to need another drug. And getting that 2nd drug will cause us to crave for the 3rd drug. So on and so forth. In this documentary it also relate that cases of Bi Polar escalated when we start to treat depression. And one child psychologist explained that sadness is one essential emotion that we should have. If we try to avoid that artificially then thats where the problems start. She said that even from childhood kids are taught to be "happy" and being sad is bad which attitude is the culprit of all other things.

As the film says, not all are bad about the pharmaceutical companies as they discovered cures and prevention for many diseases that killed humans. Its when we depend on them for all answers the trouble began.

As I said very important piece of work. Archive it and see it again and again to remind that we can live drug free.

American Idol 1510

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Download links corrected

MISCONDUCT

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REVIEWED

This movie is a directorial debut of a guy (with Japanese descendants?) living in the USA having written such films like Grudge (1&2) among others. What a lucky guy as he got this film for only $11mil budget and yet with familiar faces big and small. Big ones are Hopkins and Pacino. Small ones are Dushamel, Ackerman, Stiles, Alice Eve & Byung Hun Lee (the bad guy of GI Joe and recently Terminator Genisys)

On the production side, the movie is accompanied with classic Hitchcock's music which sometimes work but sometimes it felt like you are watching an old film. Then there is this creative but sometimes weird camera works where it just stayed on one actor to whom he or she is talking is immaterial but you can hear their voices in the background. Sometimes it works but doing this too long overkill the effect.

The main character is Josh D. Hopkins and Pacino played sidelines and you are satisfied with their presence. But not JD. One thing for sure, he looks even younger than the film before this. The movie could do better by casting a more dramatic actor. Perhaps due to the 2 giant actors by his side, JD seem to be inadequate. 

The movie is not told convincingly enough. What happen to Arthur (AH) after Ben (JD) saw him ? What evidence Ben has on Abrams (AP) at the restaurant that the police apprehend Abrams and not Ben even as he was covered in blood and he was after all being manhunted ? What is so wrong with Abrams that he did what he did after that ? What is the Accountant (BHL) (thats what they call him in IMDB) related to all this? If he was an accountant how come he has this set of special skills and conscious (or non of it) to carry them out.

There's a "Presumed Innocent" stuff in this one too which is unnecessary but maybe had to be done to tie up the loose ends. Or maybe to pass the message that its OK to get away with small things as there are bigger things that got caught.

I was expecting this movie to be above exception.. but it did not. Not too bad but just wasted the potential it could become especially with the many Stars participating. 7.5 current IMDB ratings! OVERATTED !

TRUMBO

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REVIEWED 

This is a true story basing on the life of Dalton Trumbo a Hollywood screen writer in the 1950's. He was a communist and how and at the time the US Government suppressed them for their beliefs and what the govt believe and want the people to believe about them. Many known characters we know were in the movie such as Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan etc. John Wayne was revealed as the bad guy while Kirk Douglas became the good guy.

This movie rise on good acting and good story telling. You tend to admire Dalton Trumbo how he stood for his beliefs and how he made ends meet by not revealing his works. Actually, watching this movie it makes one realized the birth of a movie is from its writer. He or she is like a story teller thinking of the plots the character etc etc. The Director is interpreting what the writer wrote. A good script or dialogue starts from the writer's effort.

Bryan Cranston played Trumbo well. From his performance you believe he is the real deal, not the actor but the writer. In fact he's been nominated for awards. Diane Lane looking old but still insanely slim. Not much from her as her character was the quite one. Elle Fanning (thats why that gal looks familiar) is now grown up, so tall, taller than her sister Dakota. Helen Mirren, is a no brainer.

This is a good movie of the higher standard.Thou its not an action one, the pacing is fast in editing itself. You are never bored always something for you to know and question all along the way.

Watching a movie like this, you realised in those days when the movie are still not in color and the camera works is stationary, audience are absorbed by what they heard in the dialogues. Thats why classic vintage movies can stand the test of time.

One morale of the movie is that why the government is hunting for communists who did nothing wrong at that time except the propaganda the govt cooked that they are Russian spies. As Trumbo nicely put it to one of his prosecutors who apparently went to jail due to tax fraud. "We didnt do anything wrong but what you did was criminal". That brought the concept closer to home. Why branded people as wrong  when you let the biggest crooks right in front of your eyes slipped away.  

MOUNTAIN MEN

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American Idol 1509

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THE RITCHIE BLACKMORE STORY

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REVIEWED

This is a 1 1/2 hour documentary on the man in black, Ritchie Blackmore. The documentary comprise of interviews with RB about the day he was born until present. It has all the albums he was involved in explained one by one including with his current partner (?) Candice Night. In between, there also interviews from familiar faces in the industry some of them were David Coverdale, Gene Simmons, Steve Lukather, Steve Vai, Glen Hughes, Jon Lord (deceased), Joe Lyn Turner, Graham Bonnet, Brian May etc etc. Also were flashbacks of his concerts and performances, cover albums, etc etc.

After watching this, you may finally know the man and his accomplishment. Born in 1945 now 70 years old and he is still kicking. Good for him.

The documentary never hide the fact that he is a hard man to get with in short temper and tantrums. His rivalry with Ian Gillan is nothing new. But all interviewed agreed that he is a character that no one seems to know much. Thats why his mastery didnt make people thought of him as one of the greatest guitarist to have lived.

But I think Gene Simmons put it spot on. He said that RB must get the spotlight and let the light shine on him if not he will be forever be underrated for he had accomplished and whom he had influenced (or something in that context).   

A must for Rtchie Blackmore's, Deep Purple's and Rainbow' fans.

FIGHT TO THE FINISH

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BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE : THE RISE OF THADLAND

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REVIEWED

I did not finish watching this crap. Got thru half way thinking that better not waste 40mins more watching this crap.

The start of the movie showed some potential on what was coming. How one former college guy by the name of Thad Castle now a football superstar who can afford everything. Then the focus went back to his former college where his sorority house was about to go on sale. So the whole football team led by its Captain went to see Thad begging him to buy the house which they fondly called The Goat House.

The only actor I know in the movie (to the point of watching it) was Thad. He played the muscular stutured guy in the "Wedding Ringer". His character was more or less the same but without the stutter. 

Whats bad was that I couldnt stand the stupidity of those in the movie. Some of the jokes are simply offensive and definitely would not make it to the big screen. The one joke that got me really irritated was during the house auction. How dumb can this Thad be when he joined the bid at $3mil when the current bidding was $240k !!!! And he went on to win the bid (nobody was challenging him anyway)  at $5mil !!! I know its just jokes but when it insult the brain its kindda of irritating.

This film is backed by the Legendary company and not some small start ups company. Simply A Shame !  

THE CHALLENGER

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REVIEWED

This is a decent (not great) boxing movie. Not that great as some of the Rocky films or even Southpaw but you might not mind watching and enjoying it if you are a boxing fan.

The only actor I know who also produced this movie is the late Michael Clarke Duncan. BTW he died in 2012 but this movie was released only 2015. It is MCD last movie. Why ? Maybe to bank in on "Creed" popularity ?

One thing for sure about this movie and its similarities with Rocky is Kent Moran. Like Slyvester Stallone who did Rocky, K Moran also directed, wrote and starred in this movie. Not as good as his counterpart but commendable enough for multi tasking the film. There is a cliche in the film about using an old boxing short which was won by Duane (MCD) and his father before him. Problem to me, how can he fit in and why the short looks brand new ? Anyway that was a cliche from Rocky and Creed too.

The movie has a plot because from the start you may be wondering why Jaden Miller (KM) has a black mother ? This was explained eventually and nicely too as you get into the film. Quite logic too and accepted. Anyway, the story would not end if its aint because of the mother.

The boxing choreography looks sloopish not as good as other boxing movies. Question is - why so many falls from both boxers in the final fight ? I thought in boxing you cannot fall more than 3 times even if you make the count. Still cant buy how a kid from nowhere can be fighting for the light heavy title of the world within 1 year ? 

The film could have been more interesting if Jaden's final opponent looks menacing that he did. Where one look you know that he is the bad guy like Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago of the Rocky series. In this one his opponent is a pretty boy who looks cuter than Jaden !

Dont miss this film if you are a boxing fan. If not, still watch it as a tribute to Michael Clarke Duncan.