LawHawkSF's Comments

Big Hollywood : 'Pontypool' Review: An Innovative Take on the Undead Film Genre

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:17:04 +0000

Andrew: I tend to prefer vampires--they're tidier. But this was at least a somewhat more cerebral zombie movie than most. Generally, I find McHattie sufficiently creepy not to need zombies to make things worse. In this movie, it worked with McHattie and the zombies.

Big Hollywood : Ten Years: Where Is The 'Definitive' 9/11 Movie?

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:52:07 +0000

Andrew: I agree that it would be almost impossible to make the "definitive" movie about 9/11. Even if Hollywood had an even hand (which it certainly doesn't), some would be very good, others not so hot. There's also the problem of avoiding maudlin sentimentality while at the same time maintaining a sense of loss. Unless some miracle occurs in the leftist mentality of Hollywood, we're unlikely to see anything much better than United 93, which was quite well done. Truth will get in the way of any Hollywood production mentality, which requires multiculturalism as a major theme, moral equivalence as a leitmotif, and fear of offending Islamists as an eternal presence. I also agree with Lammy Heckler (above) about calling 9/11 a traqedy. Airplanes going off-course or losing power resulting in death are tragedies. Airplanes being flown deliberately into a civilian center of activity in the heart of America's commercial hub are an act of war.

Big Hollywood : Why Superhero Films Are Failing

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 19:43:14 +0000

Tennessee: I agree with you. There's some nice esoteric discussion on this thread, but I think your basic premise trumps it. I even remember the Superman TV series. Simple (even simplistic) plots and terrible special effects (Superman flying sideways to the horizon). But they were fun, humorous, and the message of "truth, justice, and the American way" was always there.

Big Hollywood : Liberal Hollywood Shortchanges Actresses

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:30:34 +0000

I'm not one of those who have that strange sense of inferiority in the face of the Brits, but overall, I think the plainness or even homeliness of the English actresses result in far better performances and performers than what we get here. Most of the really good American legitimate theater actresses are often quite plain, so they can concentrate on their parts instead of their looks. Most never make it to Hollywood. That said, beauty and talent are hardly mutually exclusive. It's just that in Hollywood, where brains are optional, acting ability is also optional. That means that we do occasionally still get a good actress who is beautiful and talented, but it's pure luck rather than good planning.

Big Hollywood : Child Molestation Allegations Against Hollywood Must Be Investigated

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:28:07 +0000

During the years that I was representing B list Hollywood types, this issue was brought up more than once. My sample wouldn't be big enough to draw any conclusion except that there appears to be that exact problem. How big, I can't say. The casting couch seems to include a plethora of different perversions. I have to think there could be a least some truth to what Feldman is saying, given the "anything goes" attitude so prevalent in Hollywood. Further investigation seems to be the right answer.

Big Hollywood : 'Captain America': Little Hero, Big Heart

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:39:39 +0000

Jaci: Thanks for the review. The prelims I was hearing seemed to concentrate on the European version which downplayed American pride. I'm glad to hear from you that this is not the case and that the movie has more depth than I was hearing it credited for. I'll put it in my NetFlix queue.

Big Hollywood : Why Modern Hollywood Villains Stink

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:32:43 +0000

Are you absolutely sure that isn't the emperor?

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:10:15 +0000

Ed: If you jump over to Commentarama some time, you'll notice that I became LawHawkRFD after leaving San Francisco and moving to very rural Caliente.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:08:07 +0000

Ed: LOL. I'm with ya.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:34:39 +0000

Ed: And I think the warnings to parents are a better way for the Church to make its views known without appearing to tell young people what they can and cannot view. Parents can monitor their children's behavior much better than the Church.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:32:35 +0000

Andrew: I am not a fan of being told what I can read or watch by authoritarians thousands of miles from my home. So I admit that I read every book and watched every movie I could after the official government-sponsored censorship was lifted. The current group-think in Hollywood that you refer to is indeed just an unofficial form of censorship, and I don't like it any better. It doesn't make me want to watch the long list of lefty films, but it does encourage me to watch as many conservative films as possible. And I agree that cracks are starting to show. Let's help widen them.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:06:04 +0000

Ed: I think my basic belief would be that the Catholic Church would be within its religious right to advise its parishioners not to put money into the hands of filmmakers whose moral views differ radically from those of the Church. That's a little different from the Church advising its parishioners not to attend movies which disagree on a given movie's political beliefs. In any event, it ultimately somewhat backfired on the grounds that "forbidden fruit is the tastiest."

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:56:05 +0000

Bev: And that made me add Lean on Me to my list of conservative films. Morgan Freeman's (Joe Clark's) slapdown of the loud-mouth intransigent welfare mom was priceless.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:24:13 +0000

Tennessee: Well said. So many of the anti-American, anti-conservative films produced recently are simply ignored by the public. On the other hand, even liberals who do go to these movies are beginning to say to themselves that America couldn't possibly be that evil.

Big Hollywood : What Constitutes a Conservative Film?

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:19:10 +0000

Andrew: I come from an earlier era than most on this site, so I grew up with lots of conservative films (it all took a turn to the left in the late 60s). The Black List had effectively squelched much of the hidden leftist message in films, but the chilling effect on the First Amendment had its backlash after the wholesome and frequently anti-communist films of the 50s. Today, self-censorship on behalf of the left and Hollywood clannishness have replaced the earlier government-encouraged censorship from the right.

Big Hollywood : 'Restrepo's' Tim Hetherington: One Man, One Mission, One Terrible Loss

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:35:16 +0000

This is indeed a loss. Unlike so many of the so-called journalists, this man didn't hide at the hotel and take the locals' word for what is going on. He got into the middle of it, then gave us genuine "war correspondent" reports. He will be missed.

Big Hollywood : Enviro-Elitist Harrison Ford Slams Critics Of His Enviro-Elitism

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 19:20:48 +0000

Amen !

Big Hollywood : Enviro-Elitist Harrison Ford Slams Critics Of His Enviro-Elitism

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:38:33 +0000

Jeez! You know my old haunts. I don't want to tell you how many times I ended up at Cantor's at 3 in the morning back in the late 60s. Do they still stay open all night? And I wouldn't want Indi showing up there with his plane blocking the parking lot. Bagel with a schmear, Mr. Ford? Now you've made me miss L.A., and I didn't think that was possible. LOL

Big Hollywood : Enviro-Elitist Harrison Ford Slams Critics Of His Enviro-Elitism

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:50:36 +0000

Yep. He was trying to find the world-famous Circle Burger, and mistook it for the ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier.

Big Hollywood : Enviro-Elitist Harrison Ford Slams Critics Of His Enviro-Elitism

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 04:43:18 +0000

But only if you're flying down the street for a hamburger. LOL