SUPERSIZE ME 2: HOLY CHICKEN

 

SUPERSIZE ME 2: HOLY CHICKEN - A

A courageous & dynamic documentary that takes a good, hard look at the ugliness & corrupt world of capitalism, with a centralized focus on chicken producers.

It's a secret that has been kept hidden behind a wholesome image of propaganda, skewed facts, misinformed stats & outright lies. Morgan Spurlock fearlessly exposes the wolf in sheep's clothing with a dedication to honesty that cannot be shaken by threats of consequence.

In a day in age where the sociopathic demeanor of money at all costs seems to be the mindset of even those we deem moral, it's nice to know at least some people such as Morgan Spurlock take a stand against the sickening idea of normalizing such behavior & mindset.

LUNA: SPIRIT OF THE WHALE

 LUNA SPIRIT OF THE WHALE: B

This ended up being a solid little flick with good performances out of everyone involved. Adam Beach, the main protagonist gave a convincing performance as the former drunk who returns home to find out he is more of a leader than he ever dare dream. Jason Priestley plays the part of the villain very well. Conniving, sleazy & fake. You just want to slap him. Then there's Graham Greene who seems to nail the serious, ticked off, take no shit Native American better than anyone else.

This film isn't going to win any awards, but it's a fun little film to check out if you have time. One of the few on Vudu's free list worth watching.

ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT

 

ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT: A

A well put together, no holds documentary that took a deep look into a horrific series of events that took place in the 1970's.

In this day in age we like to pretend that the world was at one time a better place, but a dive into investigation we learn that it never was. It simply was a more hidden environment, compared to today's overexposure.

Documentaries such as this reveal that what we think is unique to our modern day in terms of terrifying, sick and disturbing happenings, has always been present, even if kept from the public eye.

The stories involved around this case are surreal. They're so bizarre and unrealistic, that it's difficult to believe that these things were real and they really did happen. In fact, it goes to prove that as terrifying as our imaginations can sometimes be, it is the realism of what can be, or worse yet, what was, that is truly frightening.

In the last eight months, I personally went through a unfortunate event where I discovered someone that I knew, trusted and befriended for 10 years, turned out to be a monster. You feel so stupid, having been fooled, yet what I went through was nothing in comparison to what these people dealt with.

This is a story that has so many twists and turns that you find yourself pausing for a moment and rewinding to make sure that you heard it right.

If you're looking for a documentary that illustrates how messed up this world and some of the people in it can be, by all means, this is a must see.

THE CAR: ROAD TO REVENGE

 THE CAR: ROAD TO REVENGE = C-

Sometimes films can be difficult to categorize. This was most certainly a B film, but an upper-class B film. Cheesy writing. Cringe-worthy dialog. Cheap, laughable special effects. It had all of the characteristics of a film that screams, "make fun of me and laugh for hours at how carny I am!"

Yet on the same hand it had redeeming qualities that when the film wasn't trying too hard to be utterly ridiculous, gave it a hint of charm. The characters were at least somewhat interesting if not dare I say intriguing and the actors playing the roles, despite how nonsensical and absurd, played the parts professionally.

In all honesty with revision, this film could have been good. It had potential in a lot of areas but suffered most from an unfocused plot without any direction.

If anything this film is a perfect example of how difficult it is to get original and fresh material made in Hollywood. It's clear that no-one on this project had any connection to THE CAR (1977) or desire to make a follow up film based on the premise of the original.

It was it's own film, completely unconnected that simply threw in a Lincoln Continental in order to get the backing, the funding and the green light to make a film. That's the only connection this film had to THE CAR (1977) and the only reason it had that connection.