Reviews by Al

A series about the British Monarchy originally shown on British television is carried on PBS.  It’s an amazing history of arguably the most powerful monarchy on the planet.

In this series on PBS narrated by Robert Redford divers reveal amazing footage of ocean plant and animal life in the marine santuaries of the US.  It’s truly stunning in HD.

A strange off-the-wall movie, amusing and fun.  The bonus features are somewhat revealing.  The Japanese to English (American) dialog translator dude says there’s no American archetype to match the powerful but flamboyant blond wizard.  He goes on to say the wizard is effeminate.  For the greater portion of the movie, it’s not totally clear the sexuality of the wizard.  Only at the very end, does he kiss the girl/protagonist in happily-ever-after fashion.  Still, at first I thought it strange for the translator dude to be confounded by this.  There’s Ryan Seacrest and other metrosexuals.  But then I thought more about it, and I couldn’t think of a single effeminate and flamboyant, but affirmed straight guy in American culture, so maybe the dude was right.  It’s likely also be an indication that animus against effeminate men — or homosexual men –  is much stronger in America than in Japan.  Also, did I imagine it or was the Pixar chief a total asshole?

– updated 9/24

Today’s Simpsons episode was about Marge being a closet carpenter with Homer as the front man since no one is willing to hire a woman carpenter.  Homer becomes an uber-man from the carpenter credentials.  Marge wants Homer to come clean and stop claiming credit for her work.  Homer responds: "But Marge, then you wouldn’t be married to a man but a sort of gay
jellyfish, cruising the waters off Key West looking for male
snorkelers."  What makes this an interesting commentary about American culture is the idea that once a man loses his masculinity, he becomes gay.

Someone told me that the marines are the least intelligent branch of the military, just below soldiers.  This movie doesn’t quite disprove that.  It’s not quite a conventional war movie since it covers an unconventional war: the slow buildup and then the lightning fast combat of the first gulf war, Desert Shield.  There is of course the usual death and destruction, but often it comes unexpectedly.  An interesting and seemingly realistic look at the military jerking itself into combat and then crazily exiting it to a heroes welcome.  Gyllenhall and Fox are both entertaining in this film.

A film about an American kid who is investigating his grandfather’s past in the Ukraine.  It’s an admirable goal and the movie succeeds in making the trip interesting and funny.  Okay, I’ll also admit that I have a little weakness for Frodo.

The characters have been together for so long, it’s like one big family.  Every family member grows up tough in this story.  This gives the show a bit of a contrived air.  Still, it’s very well put together show.  Definitely not PG-rated though.

Gayness, jealousy, homophobia, murder, euthanasia, fantasy, arson, schizophrenia, class conflict, sissies, butchness, love.  A little bit of everything in this film, and while it seems a bit unfocused, it’s not bad.

It’s obvious this book has a democratic party slant.  Still, it’s interesting the history recounted of how lack of understanding of the importance and role of religion in other countries has led to missteps in American foreign policy.  For example, the support of corrupt and unpopular secular governments in South Vietnam and Iran led to successful revolts.  On other matters, the book agrees with conventional wisdom to engage and even assist legitimate moderate Muslim leaders.