Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 14
May 5, 2025
Never A Dull Moment
Just finished watching "Never A Dull Moment" released by Walt Disney Pictures.
"Never A Dull Moment" was released by Walt Disney Pictures in movie theaters back in 1968, and is based on the novel, "The Reluctant Assassin" by John Godey, who is best known for "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three."
Now there always is a danger of looking at a movie through contemporary eyes; but I was absolutely shocked that this movie a G-rating. There is physical violence, a gangster is slapped around quite a few times and he bleeds openly from his mouth on camera - something I wasn't expecting to see in a G-rated Disney movie from the late 1960s. And Dick Van Dyke's character of Jack Albany actually does try to "spend the night" with the heroine of the movie in a manner that is "out of place" in a G-rated Disney movie of this era. Disney would only make a deliberate attempt to aim for adult audiences with PG Rated movies in the late 1970s with such movies as "The Black Hole," The Devil & Max Devlin," "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark," and "The Black Cauldron."
Dick Van Dyke stars as struggling TV actor Jack, playing gangsters in hokey weekly series. In a case of mistake identity, a gang member picks up Jack on a street corner thinking he is the out of town hitman he is supposed to pick up for a big job. Taking him to the home of the mob boss, Jack tries to escape. When he realizes that discovery of his true identity means his death, Jack dives into the role of his life, literally. His mistaken identity cover-up is hilarious as he really seems to relish his role as a tough guy, even scaring the other real gangsters. Edward G. Robinson does a marvelous job playing a mob boss that would secretly prefer to be a painter and steals famous art for his own enjoyment instead of to sell. When the real hitman shows up, Jack has to convince the gang that HE is the phony, and stop the robbery. His love interest in the movie is well played by Dorothy Provine.
Walt Disney Pictures was definitely aiming towards a more adult audience with this movie with it's covert suggestions of adultery between married people and even some hints of homosexuality - which again, are visible with contemporary eyes and mindsets.
"Never A Dull Moment" wasn't the breakthrough movie Walt Disney Pictures hoped it would be.
It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie. It's a rather enjoyable Disney fare for that time period.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
"Never A Dull Moment" was released by Walt Disney Pictures in movie theaters back in 1968, and is based on the novel, "The Reluctant Assassin" by John Godey, who is best known for "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three."
Now there always is a danger of looking at a movie through contemporary eyes; but I was absolutely shocked that this movie a G-rating. There is physical violence, a gangster is slapped around quite a few times and he bleeds openly from his mouth on camera - something I wasn't expecting to see in a G-rated Disney movie from the late 1960s. And Dick Van Dyke's character of Jack Albany actually does try to "spend the night" with the heroine of the movie in a manner that is "out of place" in a G-rated Disney movie of this era. Disney would only make a deliberate attempt to aim for adult audiences with PG Rated movies in the late 1970s with such movies as "The Black Hole," The Devil & Max Devlin," "The Last Flight of Noah's Ark," and "The Black Cauldron."
Dick Van Dyke stars as struggling TV actor Jack, playing gangsters in hokey weekly series. In a case of mistake identity, a gang member picks up Jack on a street corner thinking he is the out of town hitman he is supposed to pick up for a big job. Taking him to the home of the mob boss, Jack tries to escape. When he realizes that discovery of his true identity means his death, Jack dives into the role of his life, literally. His mistaken identity cover-up is hilarious as he really seems to relish his role as a tough guy, even scaring the other real gangsters. Edward G. Robinson does a marvelous job playing a mob boss that would secretly prefer to be a painter and steals famous art for his own enjoyment instead of to sell. When the real hitman shows up, Jack has to convince the gang that HE is the phony, and stop the robbery. His love interest in the movie is well played by Dorothy Provine.
Walt Disney Pictures was definitely aiming towards a more adult audience with this movie with it's covert suggestions of adultery between married people and even some hints of homosexuality - which again, are visible with contemporary eyes and mindsets.
"Never A Dull Moment" wasn't the breakthrough movie Walt Disney Pictures hoped it would be.
It's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie. It's a rather enjoyable Disney fare for that time period.
Recommended.
Four Stars.
A Natural History of Sea Serpents
Just finished reading "A Natural History of Sea Serpents" by Adrian Shine, illustrated by Maralyn Shine, published by Whittles Publishing.
Shine, a naturalist and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, as a reputation of being a "sympathetic sceptic" of the Loch Ness monster who has spent 50 years examining reports of the word's most popular and beloved cryptozoological creature.
If you're expecting Shine to present a case that the Loch Ness Monster and sea serpents actually exist, he doesn't. Shine does provide answers for three centuries of reported sea serpent sightings by doing a deep into the documented reports and showing how people are reporting what they believe they are seeing, instead of what they are actually seeing: waves from the bow of a boat; seals, whales, dolphins, basking sharks, otters, turtles, and yes, even logs.
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Histor...
Shine, a naturalist and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, as a reputation of being a "sympathetic sceptic" of the Loch Ness monster who has spent 50 years examining reports of the word's most popular and beloved cryptozoological creature.
If you're expecting Shine to present a case that the Loch Ness Monster and sea serpents actually exist, he doesn't. Shine does provide answers for three centuries of reported sea serpent sightings by doing a deep into the documented reports and showing how people are reporting what they believe they are seeing, instead of what they are actually seeing: waves from the bow of a boat; seals, whales, dolphins, basking sharks, otters, turtles, and yes, even logs.
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Histor...
April 30, 2025
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - Action Packed
Just finished listening to "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar - Action Packed" released by Radio Spirits.
The final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense, airing on CBS, are often cited as the end of the golden age of radio.The last episode of Johnny Dollar, "The Tip-Off Matter", ended at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 1962, followed immediately by the final broadcast of Suspense. Yet, interestingly enough, it did not have a continuous run. While it aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962, it went on hiatus for one year between 1954-1955.
Ironically the role of Johnny Dollar was also the acting swan song for actor John Lund, who stepped away from acting in films during his tenure as the insurance investigator with the fabulous expense account.
Lund's take on Johnny Dollar is one of gritty realism. It can be argued that he paved the way for Bob Bailey's interpretation of the role.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Starlett Matter," "The Marigold Matter," "The Nancy Shaw Matter," "The Paul Gorrell Matter," and "The Phillip Morey Matter."
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://store.radiospirits.com/yours-...
The final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense, airing on CBS, are often cited as the end of the golden age of radio.The last episode of Johnny Dollar, "The Tip-Off Matter", ended at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 1962, followed immediately by the final broadcast of Suspense. Yet, interestingly enough, it did not have a continuous run. While it aired on CBS Radio from February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962, it went on hiatus for one year between 1954-1955.
Ironically the role of Johnny Dollar was also the acting swan song for actor John Lund, who stepped away from acting in films during his tenure as the insurance investigator with the fabulous expense account.
Lund's take on Johnny Dollar is one of gritty realism. It can be argued that he paved the way for Bob Bailey's interpretation of the role.
My favorite episodes in this collection are: "The Starlett Matter," "The Marigold Matter," "The Nancy Shaw Matter," "The Paul Gorrell Matter," and "The Phillip Morey Matter."
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://store.radiospirits.com/yours-...
April 28, 2025
Point of Hearts
Just finished reading "Point of Hearts" by Melissa Scott, published by Queen of Swords Press.
Melissa Scott is one of my favorite authors. I discovered her back in 1990 when her novel "Mighty Good Road" was released, and I found it on the shelves of the new arrivals section of the Science Fiction and Fantasy area of Michelle's Bookstore Store.
Now one of the most curious things about buying Scott's novel is that it didn't get me another visit from the NIS at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The NIS had paid me a visit after I had ordered "So You Want To Be A Wizard" by Diane Duane, who said that she was bi-sexual in a in Locus Magazine interview. So my purchase was reported to the NIS and I got paid a visit by NIS agents who asked why I was reading a "gay" novel. Keep in mind that while Dad was an officer in the USMC, I was a civilian who the NIS attempted to recruit several times, but I wasn't interested. The implication was that if I was reading a "gay" novel by a gay author, then I was "gay." I handed the book over to them, which I had finished reading at the time, and asked them to turn to the page that had gay characters and gay sex scenes. They couldn't because there were none. So, thankfully, there wasn't a repeat visit since I wouldn't have been able to pull off the same "trick" twice because "Mighty Good Road" had gay and lesbian characters, and Scott was a gay writer.
Dad and Mom read a few of Scott's books after we moved to Florida when Dad retired.
"Point Of Hearts" is the sixth novel in Scott's science fantasy Astreiant series. I say science fantasy because Astreiant has two suns in it's sky. She started the series with her late partner Lisa A. Barnett, and wrote four more novels which have been published by independent publishers.
Point of Hearts, Astreiant's pleasure district, is being disrupted by an influx of scheming nobles who have descended upon the city for an aristocratic wedding. Mysterious carts smuggling something unknown through the night time streets and civil unrest are creating suspicion and turmoil. Adjunct Point Nicolas Rathe and his lover, Philip Eslingen, captain in the City Guard, are keeping an eye on an aristocrat under self-imposed house arrest when Rathe is injured during a riot. Pursued by false accusations, Eslingen takes him on the run to Point of Knives while they try to unravel a plot against the queen and her government that could destroy the city they love.
Nico and Philip's relationship has evolved over the series, and in this 6th installment, their relationship is established. Scott uses an archaic word, leman, "meaning sweetheart, lover, or mistress," but here in Astreiant, it has legal status.
Another great entry by Scott in her ongoing Astreiant series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Point-Hearts-A...
Melissa Scott is one of my favorite authors. I discovered her back in 1990 when her novel "Mighty Good Road" was released, and I found it on the shelves of the new arrivals section of the Science Fiction and Fantasy area of Michelle's Bookstore Store.
Now one of the most curious things about buying Scott's novel is that it didn't get me another visit from the NIS at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The NIS had paid me a visit after I had ordered "So You Want To Be A Wizard" by Diane Duane, who said that she was bi-sexual in a in Locus Magazine interview. So my purchase was reported to the NIS and I got paid a visit by NIS agents who asked why I was reading a "gay" novel. Keep in mind that while Dad was an officer in the USMC, I was a civilian who the NIS attempted to recruit several times, but I wasn't interested. The implication was that if I was reading a "gay" novel by a gay author, then I was "gay." I handed the book over to them, which I had finished reading at the time, and asked them to turn to the page that had gay characters and gay sex scenes. They couldn't because there were none. So, thankfully, there wasn't a repeat visit since I wouldn't have been able to pull off the same "trick" twice because "Mighty Good Road" had gay and lesbian characters, and Scott was a gay writer.
Dad and Mom read a few of Scott's books after we moved to Florida when Dad retired.
"Point Of Hearts" is the sixth novel in Scott's science fantasy Astreiant series. I say science fantasy because Astreiant has two suns in it's sky. She started the series with her late partner Lisa A. Barnett, and wrote four more novels which have been published by independent publishers.
Point of Hearts, Astreiant's pleasure district, is being disrupted by an influx of scheming nobles who have descended upon the city for an aristocratic wedding. Mysterious carts smuggling something unknown through the night time streets and civil unrest are creating suspicion and turmoil. Adjunct Point Nicolas Rathe and his lover, Philip Eslingen, captain in the City Guard, are keeping an eye on an aristocrat under self-imposed house arrest when Rathe is injured during a riot. Pursued by false accusations, Eslingen takes him on the run to Point of Knives while they try to unravel a plot against the queen and her government that could destroy the city they love.
Nico and Philip's relationship has evolved over the series, and in this 6th installment, their relationship is established. Scott uses an archaic word, leman, "meaning sweetheart, lover, or mistress," but here in Astreiant, it has legal status.
Another great entry by Scott in her ongoing Astreiant series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Point-Hearts-A...
All Of Us Strangers
Just finished watching "All Of Us Strangers" released by Fox Search Light, which ironically is owned now by the Walt Disney Compnay.
"All Of Us Strangers" is actually a remake of the Japanese movie "Strangers," which is based on the original novel by Taichi Yamada.
Now the original novel and first movie centers around middle-aged, jaded and divorced, TV scriptwriter Harada returns one night to the dilapidated downtown district of Tokyo where he grew up. There, at the theatre, he meets a likable man who looks exactly like his long-dead father. And so begins Harada''s ordeal, as he''s thrust into a reality where his parents appear to be alive at the exact age they had been when they had died so many years before.
The English remake follows the basic plot, of the novel, but centers around Adam, a screenwriter, who after encountering the sole other resident in his nearly empty apartment building, visits the area where he live before his parents died when he was a young child and discovers that they are still alive just as they were 30 years ago.
"All Of Us Strangers" cheats a bit in its story telling. Adam's parents do interact with other people other than Adam, but it suggests that either Adam is slowly going insane, or he is really interacting with the ghosts of his parents.
It's also a tragic love story that suggests that Adam dies in the end. It's all left to the viewers interpretation.
Remakes are always chancy and changing the sexuality of the main character and some other parts of the story is not always a great idea, let alone a good one.
It's hard to recommend this movie, because it's a remake with Western values.
Two Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/All-Strangers-...
"All Of Us Strangers" is actually a remake of the Japanese movie "Strangers," which is based on the original novel by Taichi Yamada.
Now the original novel and first movie centers around middle-aged, jaded and divorced, TV scriptwriter Harada returns one night to the dilapidated downtown district of Tokyo where he grew up. There, at the theatre, he meets a likable man who looks exactly like his long-dead father. And so begins Harada''s ordeal, as he''s thrust into a reality where his parents appear to be alive at the exact age they had been when they had died so many years before.
The English remake follows the basic plot, of the novel, but centers around Adam, a screenwriter, who after encountering the sole other resident in his nearly empty apartment building, visits the area where he live before his parents died when he was a young child and discovers that they are still alive just as they were 30 years ago.
"All Of Us Strangers" cheats a bit in its story telling. Adam's parents do interact with other people other than Adam, but it suggests that either Adam is slowly going insane, or he is really interacting with the ghosts of his parents.
It's also a tragic love story that suggests that Adam dies in the end. It's all left to the viewers interpretation.
Remakes are always chancy and changing the sexuality of the main character and some other parts of the story is not always a great idea, let alone a good one.
It's hard to recommend this movie, because it's a remake with Western values.
Two Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/All-Strangers-...
April 21, 2025
Lead On, Snoopy
Just finished reading "Lead On, Snoopy" by Charles M. Schulz, published by Fawcett Crest back in 1993.
Many frequent visitors to Barnes & Noble and other "big box" bookstores and independently owned bookstores with physical retail locations will find it hard to believe that once upon a time that bookstores did not have sections devoted entirely to graphic novels like they do nowadays.
Now the bookstores of old did have shelves/sections devoted to what I call "comic strip books" which essentially were collections of previously ran strips of a newspaper comic ran that were reprinted in paperback. It was really only later, at least here in the Untied States, where hardcover collections of comic strips like "Calvin & Hobbes" and "The Farside" were reprinted in hardcover and readily available to collectors and consumers here in the United States and across the world. [Sidenote: Just wait to Zack and Jeff when they find out who gets which collection in my will Bwahahahahahahaha].
While Michelle's Bookstore in the Brynn Marr shopping center in Jacksonville, North Carolina closed its doors for the last time in the mid-1990s, they did have a section that was ceiling-to-floor of shelves filled with comic strip books - a majority of which "Peanuts" books by Charles M. Schulz. Schulz, shared a similarity to Andre Norton in the 1970s because they completely dominated the shelves in their respective sections in bookstores.
Now a majority of my "Peanuts" books were lost in time due to when we moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and I got my "replacement" copies at Chamblin's Bookmine out on Roosevelt Avenue.
The Peanuts comic strips collected in "Lead On, Snoopy" were originally published in newspapers back in 1998. If memory serves me correctly, I first bought "Lead On, Snoopy" when we visited Camp Lejeune for the Beirut Memorial a couple of years after we moved to Florida.
While a few strips show us Spike's, Snoopy's brother, life in the desert where he lives, we get to see Peppermint Pattie and Marcie interact with each other in and outside of school. and we are treated to Sally making several observations about going to see movies in several strips.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Snoopy-Ch...
Many frequent visitors to Barnes & Noble and other "big box" bookstores and independently owned bookstores with physical retail locations will find it hard to believe that once upon a time that bookstores did not have sections devoted entirely to graphic novels like they do nowadays.
Now the bookstores of old did have shelves/sections devoted to what I call "comic strip books" which essentially were collections of previously ran strips of a newspaper comic ran that were reprinted in paperback. It was really only later, at least here in the Untied States, where hardcover collections of comic strips like "Calvin & Hobbes" and "The Farside" were reprinted in hardcover and readily available to collectors and consumers here in the United States and across the world. [Sidenote: Just wait to Zack and Jeff when they find out who gets which collection in my will Bwahahahahahahaha].
While Michelle's Bookstore in the Brynn Marr shopping center in Jacksonville, North Carolina closed its doors for the last time in the mid-1990s, they did have a section that was ceiling-to-floor of shelves filled with comic strip books - a majority of which "Peanuts" books by Charles M. Schulz. Schulz, shared a similarity to Andre Norton in the 1970s because they completely dominated the shelves in their respective sections in bookstores.
Now a majority of my "Peanuts" books were lost in time due to when we moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and I got my "replacement" copies at Chamblin's Bookmine out on Roosevelt Avenue.
The Peanuts comic strips collected in "Lead On, Snoopy" were originally published in newspapers back in 1998. If memory serves me correctly, I first bought "Lead On, Snoopy" when we visited Camp Lejeune for the Beirut Memorial a couple of years after we moved to Florida.
While a few strips show us Spike's, Snoopy's brother, life in the desert where he lives, we get to see Peppermint Pattie and Marcie interact with each other in and outside of school. and we are treated to Sally making several observations about going to see movies in several strips.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Snoopy-Ch...
Dark Shadows - The Tony & Cassandra Mysteries - Series Three
Just finished listening to "Dark Shadows - The Tony & Cassandra Mysteries - Series Three" released by Big Finish Productions.
On a side note, before Big Finish Productions acquired the license to produce original audio productions of "Dark Shadows," there was one independent audio drama of "Dark Shadows" which served as sort of a conclusion/continuation of the much beloved Gothic daytime soap opera which featured all of the original cast reprising their original roles. While Mom was recovering from her stroke at Brooks Rehabilitation here in Jacksonville, Florida, I played the CD for her as soon as it arrived in mail - I had found it on eBay. The custodian who came in to clean the room heard it, crossed herself, accused us of worshipping the devil and ran out of the room, complaining to the nurse in charge of the third floor. And yes, I had to deal with that nurse demanding to know why Mom and I were listening to inappropriate material. Keep in mind that Brooks refused to serve Mom anything but pork and we had to bring in food from the outside so that she could eat which upset Brooks even more.
Cassandra is actually the reincarnation of Miranda DuVal, who was a witch who would be reborn after her first death as Angélique Bouchard who would in turn eventually change her name to Cassandra Blair in the 1960s. In Big Finish's audio spinoff of "Dark Shadows" a reformed and regretful Cassandra has now partnered with private investigator Tony Peterson, and together the pair investigate supernatural mysteries.
Four interconnecting stories make up Series Three of the Tony & Cassandra Mysteries: "The Mystery of The Grandest Order," The Mystery Of A Mother's Love," "The Mystery of The Fisherman's Wife," and "The Mystery of The Jack-In-The-Box." At the center of each of these mysteries is how an aspect of love can become darkly twisted.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.doctorwhostore.com/dark-s...
On a side note, before Big Finish Productions acquired the license to produce original audio productions of "Dark Shadows," there was one independent audio drama of "Dark Shadows" which served as sort of a conclusion/continuation of the much beloved Gothic daytime soap opera which featured all of the original cast reprising their original roles. While Mom was recovering from her stroke at Brooks Rehabilitation here in Jacksonville, Florida, I played the CD for her as soon as it arrived in mail - I had found it on eBay. The custodian who came in to clean the room heard it, crossed herself, accused us of worshipping the devil and ran out of the room, complaining to the nurse in charge of the third floor. And yes, I had to deal with that nurse demanding to know why Mom and I were listening to inappropriate material. Keep in mind that Brooks refused to serve Mom anything but pork and we had to bring in food from the outside so that she could eat which upset Brooks even more.
Cassandra is actually the reincarnation of Miranda DuVal, who was a witch who would be reborn after her first death as Angélique Bouchard who would in turn eventually change her name to Cassandra Blair in the 1960s. In Big Finish's audio spinoff of "Dark Shadows" a reformed and regretful Cassandra has now partnered with private investigator Tony Peterson, and together the pair investigate supernatural mysteries.
Four interconnecting stories make up Series Three of the Tony & Cassandra Mysteries: "The Mystery of The Grandest Order," The Mystery Of A Mother's Love," "The Mystery of The Fisherman's Wife," and "The Mystery of The Jack-In-The-Box." At the center of each of these mysteries is how an aspect of love can become darkly twisted.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.doctorwhostore.com/dark-s...
Four More Years
Just finished watching "Four More Years" released by TLA Releasing.
"Four More Years" is a Swedish romantic comedy about two men from rival political parties in Sweden who fall in love with each other, that hit the silver screens back in 2010, and which won several film festival awards here in the United States when it was first released.
And no, while English, French, Hebrew, Japanese, and a smidgen of Hungarian and Spanish are among the languages I can speak and understand, Swedish is not one of the languages I can speak and comprehend. Just thought I better throw that out there since I reviewed a foreign movie once and someone attempted to rake me over the coals because I didn't mention that I didn't speak the language. That's why humans invented subtitles and the block option on social media.
What sets this comedy apart is the fact that its two central characters are from opposing ends of the political spectrum, with David being the current chairman of the Liberal Party and Martin being the designated Secretary of the Social Democrats. Reconciling the opposing politics is funny enough, and then add to that mix a closeted married man finding his affections for an openly gay man somewhat overwhelming. David is that closeted man, living the life his constituency demands of him. or more accurately, living the life he thinks that constituency demands of him. He has the liberated and accomplished wife who participates actively in his political life, and a stable home and family although his parents are somewhat eccentric in their respective social conservatism. Martin on the other hand, is an openly gay man, acknowledged and respected as such politically. It is therefore, surprising that they find common ground and attraction in each other. This of course, is the delightful irony which the movie seeks to exploit.
At the end of the day they are both human beings seeking affection, loyalty and love in another. Strip the veneer of politics, and social mores or perceived mores and you have two men that have a great deal in common. The question remains however, will their respective politics draw them apart? Will the pressures endemic to David's conservative politics and leadership of a party which is failing daily in the polls allow him the liberty of committing to Martin, or will he continue to live the facade he has created for himself and his voters?
SPOILER ALERT: David and Martin do finally work out their inner struggles and get the happy ending they deserve.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Four-More-Year...
"Four More Years" is a Swedish romantic comedy about two men from rival political parties in Sweden who fall in love with each other, that hit the silver screens back in 2010, and which won several film festival awards here in the United States when it was first released.
And no, while English, French, Hebrew, Japanese, and a smidgen of Hungarian and Spanish are among the languages I can speak and understand, Swedish is not one of the languages I can speak and comprehend. Just thought I better throw that out there since I reviewed a foreign movie once and someone attempted to rake me over the coals because I didn't mention that I didn't speak the language. That's why humans invented subtitles and the block option on social media.
What sets this comedy apart is the fact that its two central characters are from opposing ends of the political spectrum, with David being the current chairman of the Liberal Party and Martin being the designated Secretary of the Social Democrats. Reconciling the opposing politics is funny enough, and then add to that mix a closeted married man finding his affections for an openly gay man somewhat overwhelming. David is that closeted man, living the life his constituency demands of him. or more accurately, living the life he thinks that constituency demands of him. He has the liberated and accomplished wife who participates actively in his political life, and a stable home and family although his parents are somewhat eccentric in their respective social conservatism. Martin on the other hand, is an openly gay man, acknowledged and respected as such politically. It is therefore, surprising that they find common ground and attraction in each other. This of course, is the delightful irony which the movie seeks to exploit.
At the end of the day they are both human beings seeking affection, loyalty and love in another. Strip the veneer of politics, and social mores or perceived mores and you have two men that have a great deal in common. The question remains however, will their respective politics draw them apart? Will the pressures endemic to David's conservative politics and leadership of a party which is failing daily in the polls allow him the liberty of committing to Martin, or will he continue to live the facade he has created for himself and his voters?
SPOILER ALERT: David and Martin do finally work out their inner struggles and get the happy ending they deserve.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Four-More-Year...
Matrimonium
Just finished watching "Matrimonium" released by the United Gay Network back in 2005.
Now a word about reviews. As long as the book, music CD, audio drama, and/or movie DVD and/or Blu-ray is not x-rated I will watch/listen to it and give it a fair review. And IF I receive something to review in the mail, I will eventually get around to reviewing it. I'm just not going to promise that I will review it right away; and I will always, always reveal if I have a connection to the artist - in this instance I don't. So if you want to tell me that I've damned myself to Christian Hell for watching a "gay" movie, please keep in mind that I'm a Conservative Jew and in Judaism, hell is a rejection of G_D by choosing not to believe in him - not because you watched a movie.
"Matrimonium" was the second movie released by the United Gay Network - an independent gay movie production company founded by Michael Akers and his partner Sandon Berg - who both wrote the screenplay for "Matrimonium" - their second feature film and it was quiet a bit of a departure from their first movie, the mystery drama "Gone, But Not Forgotten."
Interestingly enough, "Matrimonium" is not currently listed on their website. No mystery there because "Matrimonium" is extremely outdated. Same-sex marriage has been legal for over a decade now.
"Matrimonium" is outdated camp. It's a take-off on the reality TV where a straight man has to convince his family that he is going to marry a man and get them to attend the wedding for a million dollar prize. If I'm remembering correctly, there really was a gay marriage reality show where the gay man was given a chance to find true love, but the catch was that there were several straight men who would be trying to trick him.
Stereotyping is really bad in "Matrimonium" and it really has a lackluster ending.
"Matrimonium" could have great comedy, but it hasn't aged well.
Not Reccommended.
One Star.
https://www.amazon.com/Matrimonium-Sa...
Now a word about reviews. As long as the book, music CD, audio drama, and/or movie DVD and/or Blu-ray is not x-rated I will watch/listen to it and give it a fair review. And IF I receive something to review in the mail, I will eventually get around to reviewing it. I'm just not going to promise that I will review it right away; and I will always, always reveal if I have a connection to the artist - in this instance I don't. So if you want to tell me that I've damned myself to Christian Hell for watching a "gay" movie, please keep in mind that I'm a Conservative Jew and in Judaism, hell is a rejection of G_D by choosing not to believe in him - not because you watched a movie.
"Matrimonium" was the second movie released by the United Gay Network - an independent gay movie production company founded by Michael Akers and his partner Sandon Berg - who both wrote the screenplay for "Matrimonium" - their second feature film and it was quiet a bit of a departure from their first movie, the mystery drama "Gone, But Not Forgotten."
Interestingly enough, "Matrimonium" is not currently listed on their website. No mystery there because "Matrimonium" is extremely outdated. Same-sex marriage has been legal for over a decade now.
"Matrimonium" is outdated camp. It's a take-off on the reality TV where a straight man has to convince his family that he is going to marry a man and get them to attend the wedding for a million dollar prize. If I'm remembering correctly, there really was a gay marriage reality show where the gay man was given a chance to find true love, but the catch was that there were several straight men who would be trying to trick him.
Stereotyping is really bad in "Matrimonium" and it really has a lackluster ending.
"Matrimonium" could have great comedy, but it hasn't aged well.
Not Reccommended.
One Star.
https://www.amazon.com/Matrimonium-Sa...
SPY x FAMILY - CODE: White
Just finished watching "SPY x FAMILY - CODE: White" released by Crunchyroll.
A bit of background on "SPY x FAMILY" is probably needed. It is based on the popular Japanese magna series of the same title in which in order to maintain the state of peace between the rival nations of Westalis and Ostania, a Westalian agent code-named "Twilight" is tasked with spying on Donovan Desmond, leader of the National Unity Party within Ostania. Westalis and Ostania are alternate-world versions of West and East Germany, respectively. However, due to Desmond being notoriously reclusive, the only way Twilight can get close to him is to enroll a child in the same private school as Desmond's son, Damian, and pose as a fellow parent.
To accomplish this and present the image of a happy family, he creates the alias of Doctor Loid Forger, adopts a young orphan girl named Anya, and marries an Ostanian woman named Yor Briar. However, unbeknownst to him, Anya can read minds, and Yor is in fact a professional assassin. Yor also sought a marriage of cover, because single adult women draw suspects and attention in the paranoid Ostania. Neither Loid nor Yor are aware of each other's true identities or that Anya, thanks to her secret powers, knows their true professions. The family later takes in a dog with precognitive abilities named Bond. Despite these unknown factors and Twilight's occasional lapses of common sense due to years of being a spy, he must learn to play the role of the perfect father and husband to carry out his mission.
Naturally this is the perfect set-up for great comedy about a dysfunctional family put into uncanny situations that never pan out as planned due to their unique personalities.
In "SPY x FAMILY - CODE: White," Loid Forger successfully completes a mission for WISE and learns from his handler Sylvia Sherwood that he will be reassigned and replaced on Operation Strix due to orders from the higher officials, though he might be able to prevent this if he makes meaningful progress. While leaving the rendezvous point, Loid has an interaction with his fellow spy Fiona Frost, which is spotted from afar by his wife Yor, making her believe Loid kissed Fiona.
Loid learns from his daughter Anya that her class at Eden Academy will be having a cooking competition and the winner may receive a Stella star. Knowing that the judge is the principal and that his favorite dessert is Meremere (specifically a regional version found in the northern Ostanian city of Frigis), Loid decides to take the family to Frigis in order to try the dish and salvage Operation Strix by recreating it. While on the train ride there, Anya discovers a key and, after reading their Great Pyrenees pet Bond's precognitive mind, learns there is a treasure on board. Anya finds and opens the suitcase, which contains a chocolate that she inadvertently eats. The owners of the suitcase find and try to apprehend her, but Yor intervenes and knocks them out.
The Forgers arrive in Frigis and visit a restaurant to have its last Meremere, but Colonel Snidel, a military intelligence officer, barges his way in with his soldiers and takes the Meremere for himself, beating Loid in a competition for his further satisfaction. Due to the restaurant not having enough ingredients to make more of the dessert, Yor suggests finding them themselves, which the family agrees to. During their search, Yor becomes increasingly anxious, believing Loid intends to break up with her, even after Loid gives her lipstick as a gift. Yor ends up getting drunk and causes a scene. Reading Loid and Yor's troubles in her mind, Anya sets up a situation to put them on the ferris wheel, where they are able to clear their misunderstandings and reaffirm their feelings towards each other.
Meanwhile, Snidel regroups at his military base and are about to take off in their airship. It is revealed that the chocolate Anya ate contained a microfilm, which Snidel planned to use to instigate another war against Westalis. Snidel sends his underlings out to find Anya and the microform. Loid attempts to find the last ingredient for the Meremere, cherry liquor, but to no avail. Anya suggests helping, but feels depressed when Loid turns her down. Using her and Bond's powers, Anya figures out where to find the cherry liquor and sneaks out of their hotel with Bond to acquire it. Anya and Bond obtain the liquor, but she is captured by the underlings, while Bond is left behind.
Loid and Yor frantically search for Anya. Loid finds Bond, who bit off a military patch from the underlings, and deduces that they kidnapped Anya, but is unsure why. Fiona arrives and informs Loid about WISE's highest priority mission in retrieving the microfilm. Loid overhears through a military transmission that Anya ate the microfilm and, after learning that she is on the airship, hijacks a Bristol Beaufighter to rescue Anya. Yor discreetly tags along with Loid.
Loid makes a crash landing onto the airship after it fires anti-aircraft missiles at him, sneaking through the ship with his disguise techniques. At the same time, Yor goes in, and accidentally starts a fire that begins to spread. Meanwhile, Anya desperately forces herself to hold in her bowel movements, knowing that Snidel and the underlings intend to reclaim the microfilm through her excrements. She manages to temporarily escape during Yor's commotion, but is recaptured and hidden away in the cockpit by Snidel after relieving herself in a nearby toilet.
A disguised Loid orders to find Anya, but Snidel immediately realizes who he is due to his exceptional sense of smell, causing a shootout. Snidel attempts to use experimental gas on Loid, but Anya is able to break free of her restraints in time to accidentally open the windows, expelling the gas. Loid, now disguised as Snidel, incapacitates him and orders the men to abandon ship. Meanwhile, Yor faces off against a cyborg soldier called Type F, in which she wins the fight by setting Type F on fire using the lipstick which Loid gave her.
The Forgers reunite and are able to steer the airship so it crashes into the river, avoiding the city. Loid also finds the microfilm stuck in Anya's teeth. Back at home, Loid presents the retrieved microfilm to Sylvia, who is pleased and informs him that Operation Strix will remain under his care. Anya is about to start the cooking competition with her class, but due to an accident, the contest is delayed. Since the judge has been changed to the vice principal, Loid suggests another trip to investigate a new dessert, this time in a warmer region, which Bond's precognition shows will be a relaxing vacation.
Why "SPY x FAMILY" works is because each of the characters, while hiding secrets, truly love each other and go to great lengths to support each other and make each other happy, while willing to sacrifice for each other.
HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/SPY-FAMILY-COD...
A bit of background on "SPY x FAMILY" is probably needed. It is based on the popular Japanese magna series of the same title in which in order to maintain the state of peace between the rival nations of Westalis and Ostania, a Westalian agent code-named "Twilight" is tasked with spying on Donovan Desmond, leader of the National Unity Party within Ostania. Westalis and Ostania are alternate-world versions of West and East Germany, respectively. However, due to Desmond being notoriously reclusive, the only way Twilight can get close to him is to enroll a child in the same private school as Desmond's son, Damian, and pose as a fellow parent.
To accomplish this and present the image of a happy family, he creates the alias of Doctor Loid Forger, adopts a young orphan girl named Anya, and marries an Ostanian woman named Yor Briar. However, unbeknownst to him, Anya can read minds, and Yor is in fact a professional assassin. Yor also sought a marriage of cover, because single adult women draw suspects and attention in the paranoid Ostania. Neither Loid nor Yor are aware of each other's true identities or that Anya, thanks to her secret powers, knows their true professions. The family later takes in a dog with precognitive abilities named Bond. Despite these unknown factors and Twilight's occasional lapses of common sense due to years of being a spy, he must learn to play the role of the perfect father and husband to carry out his mission.
Naturally this is the perfect set-up for great comedy about a dysfunctional family put into uncanny situations that never pan out as planned due to their unique personalities.
In "SPY x FAMILY - CODE: White," Loid Forger successfully completes a mission for WISE and learns from his handler Sylvia Sherwood that he will be reassigned and replaced on Operation Strix due to orders from the higher officials, though he might be able to prevent this if he makes meaningful progress. While leaving the rendezvous point, Loid has an interaction with his fellow spy Fiona Frost, which is spotted from afar by his wife Yor, making her believe Loid kissed Fiona.
Loid learns from his daughter Anya that her class at Eden Academy will be having a cooking competition and the winner may receive a Stella star. Knowing that the judge is the principal and that his favorite dessert is Meremere (specifically a regional version found in the northern Ostanian city of Frigis), Loid decides to take the family to Frigis in order to try the dish and salvage Operation Strix by recreating it. While on the train ride there, Anya discovers a key and, after reading their Great Pyrenees pet Bond's precognitive mind, learns there is a treasure on board. Anya finds and opens the suitcase, which contains a chocolate that she inadvertently eats. The owners of the suitcase find and try to apprehend her, but Yor intervenes and knocks them out.
The Forgers arrive in Frigis and visit a restaurant to have its last Meremere, but Colonel Snidel, a military intelligence officer, barges his way in with his soldiers and takes the Meremere for himself, beating Loid in a competition for his further satisfaction. Due to the restaurant not having enough ingredients to make more of the dessert, Yor suggests finding them themselves, which the family agrees to. During their search, Yor becomes increasingly anxious, believing Loid intends to break up with her, even after Loid gives her lipstick as a gift. Yor ends up getting drunk and causes a scene. Reading Loid and Yor's troubles in her mind, Anya sets up a situation to put them on the ferris wheel, where they are able to clear their misunderstandings and reaffirm their feelings towards each other.
Meanwhile, Snidel regroups at his military base and are about to take off in their airship. It is revealed that the chocolate Anya ate contained a microfilm, which Snidel planned to use to instigate another war against Westalis. Snidel sends his underlings out to find Anya and the microform. Loid attempts to find the last ingredient for the Meremere, cherry liquor, but to no avail. Anya suggests helping, but feels depressed when Loid turns her down. Using her and Bond's powers, Anya figures out where to find the cherry liquor and sneaks out of their hotel with Bond to acquire it. Anya and Bond obtain the liquor, but she is captured by the underlings, while Bond is left behind.
Loid and Yor frantically search for Anya. Loid finds Bond, who bit off a military patch from the underlings, and deduces that they kidnapped Anya, but is unsure why. Fiona arrives and informs Loid about WISE's highest priority mission in retrieving the microfilm. Loid overhears through a military transmission that Anya ate the microfilm and, after learning that she is on the airship, hijacks a Bristol Beaufighter to rescue Anya. Yor discreetly tags along with Loid.
Loid makes a crash landing onto the airship after it fires anti-aircraft missiles at him, sneaking through the ship with his disguise techniques. At the same time, Yor goes in, and accidentally starts a fire that begins to spread. Meanwhile, Anya desperately forces herself to hold in her bowel movements, knowing that Snidel and the underlings intend to reclaim the microfilm through her excrements. She manages to temporarily escape during Yor's commotion, but is recaptured and hidden away in the cockpit by Snidel after relieving herself in a nearby toilet.
A disguised Loid orders to find Anya, but Snidel immediately realizes who he is due to his exceptional sense of smell, causing a shootout. Snidel attempts to use experimental gas on Loid, but Anya is able to break free of her restraints in time to accidentally open the windows, expelling the gas. Loid, now disguised as Snidel, incapacitates him and orders the men to abandon ship. Meanwhile, Yor faces off against a cyborg soldier called Type F, in which she wins the fight by setting Type F on fire using the lipstick which Loid gave her.
The Forgers reunite and are able to steer the airship so it crashes into the river, avoiding the city. Loid also finds the microfilm stuck in Anya's teeth. Back at home, Loid presents the retrieved microfilm to Sylvia, who is pleased and informs him that Operation Strix will remain under his care. Anya is about to start the cooking competition with her class, but due to an accident, the contest is delayed. Since the judge has been changed to the vice principal, Loid suggests another trip to investigate a new dessert, this time in a warmer region, which Bond's precognition shows will be a relaxing vacation.
Why "SPY x FAMILY" works is because each of the characters, while hiding secrets, truly love each other and go to great lengths to support each other and make each other happy, while willing to sacrifice for each other.
HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/SPY-FAMILY-COD...
