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Reviews
Alienated (2021)
To many pompous reviews here
WAY too many low value reviews here by Cecil B. DeMille wannabe film students-hilarious in how seriously they take themselves and this cute indie Rom-Com. The movie is a bit of light-hearted whimsy and the purposefully awkward chemistry between Gracie Lacey and Michael Carico is frankly charming. The supporting actors are mostly caricatures, but so what? That was the tongue-in-cheek intent. Expect to get a few smiles and awwws and walk away lighter than when you started viewing-nothing more. It was probably a fun quick gig for these actors, with a totally fun premise, and if the movie was actually made for under a quoted $200K, the producers got their money's worth. Good clean fun. Doesn't pretend to be more, and isn't. But the overbearing film student reviews here are actually worth a few chuckles, themselves ;-)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Fracked (2010)
A crackling environmental drama
A well written episode, well directed by Martha Coolidge. As pointed out by fellow IMDb "Fracked" reviewer "andrew-ragland," the CSI staff should be commended for taking on the issue of corporations running roughshod over private citizens and whistle-blowers who stand in their way. Set within a complicated mystery in which mortal disparate events finally come together into a mosaic that ultimately makes sense, this episode is underlain by a subtext which illustrates the typical, and increasingly common collision between environmental conscience and big money. Astonishingly, in the process, the viewers are exposed to a fair amount of related engineering geology. Given the rarity of non- didactic solid science, especially earth science, in dramatic story lines, this episode is a gem. The producers had a chance to teach and entertain and they took it, from which Coolidge's solid directing did not flinch--rather, she emphasized and enhanced the interplay of forensic pathology and geology. Tragically, fellow IMDb "Fracked" reviewer "pepethedog" apparently can't perceive such symphony, however, the disparaging tenor and content of his review graphically illustrate the compelling need for writers, directors, and producers to take seriously their obligation not only to entertain, but where they can, to educate by maintaining verisimilitude, while remaining true to the story. Kudos!
The Andromeda Strain (2008)
It left me astonishingly depressed
I never cease to be amazed at how (a) multiple screenwriters can leave plot holes big enough to drive a truck (hell, a 747) through, and (b) a film company can spend $15M on a TV production and yet not spend a few thousand dollars on some bona-fide (not pseudo) scientific consulting to at least make the sci-fi plausible. Throwing together a haphazard technobabble bouillabaisse referencing every speculative idea that has appeared in Discovery Magazine or Scientific American in the last couple of years is no substitute for working out a solid plausible sci-fi extension of reality as a basis for the plot points. In the original novel, Crichton did it on spec as a grad student in medical school, for God's sake!! A weak effort at best, falling far short of the original movie.
What an utter waste of money and an embarrassment for the Scotts. If I were Michael, I would be furious, if I cared. I completely agree with the previous negative comments and remain depressed at how poorly this remake was executed. What a damned shame because an excellent opportunity was completely blown.