Cinema Cycle - Duran Duran

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 05/29/2015

TITLE: Duran Duran

FORMAT: LaserDisc

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 52 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 12.7 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1813.4 miles

SYNOPSIS:

Track List:

1. Rio
2. Planet Earth
3. Lonely In Your Nightmare
4. Careless Memories
5. My Own Way
6. Hungry Like The Wolf
7. Nightboat
8. Girls On Film (Unrated extended version with Nudity)
9. Save A Prayer
10. The Chauffeur
11. Is There Something I Should Know?

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Making anyone in their 50s feel really old.  Near the end of an era when hair, make-up, disco beats and songs of love and loss were king, before The Clash, Punk Rock and Grunge took over.

PROS AND CONS: I must admit, that I was a fan of Duran Duran back in 1978 when most of these videos were being made.  While my more liberal college peers were listening to The Clash and The Moody Blues, I was finding ways to get 45rpm versions of “Rio” and “Something I Should Know”.  

Most of this nostalgia trip was centered around the attitudes of the time.  This is music for youth with a bright future and longing for love, erotica and exotica.  The location shooting was groundbreaking for its day as were some of the themes of the videos.

This particular LaserDisc shows two different styles of the band.  Side one (tracks 1 - 5) show the younger bubble gum-like Duran Duran.  Side two, shows the more mature group with songs that are introspective and much better produced.  “Girls on Film” and “The Chauffeur” are exceptionally well done.

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Sabotage

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 05/27/2015

TITLE: Sabotage

FORMAT: VHS

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 19 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 17.9 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1800.7 miles

SYNOPSIS: The London police try and solve a sabotage plot against the citizens of Britain in 1937.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Combating terrorism in pre-World War II London.  

PROS AND CONS: Well, it is Hitchcock.  So right off the bat, it has to be a film worth watching.  This is an interesting film, since the early work of Hitchcock always gives and interesting insight into his later works after he made the transition to Hollywood.

The acting in this film is mediocre, but this is counterbalanced by the writing and the dialog of the characters and how each one has their secrets and agenda.  The most fascinating thing to me while watching films of this genre is the period look of the work.  Much of the film was shot on location in 1937 London.  The city has a feel of a small town, with strict rules of protocol and behavior, where authoritarianism was standard and individuality was kept at a very low key.  

The plot got a bit on the strange side near the end of the film.  The overall mood of the film appears to center around growing nationalism and militarism aimed at Germany (all the bad guys are obviously not British, but foreigners).

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Dunston Checks In

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 05/22/2015

TITLE: Dunston Checks In

FORMAT: LaserDisc

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 28 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 19.3 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1782.8 miles

SYNOPSIS: The children of a ritzy hotel manager foil the plot of a jewel thief and his trained orangutan named Dunston

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Cute is cute, but it is even cuter when it is well done and well acted by professionals.  

PROS AND CONS: This is a children’s film.  Although, it can be entertaining for adults as well. What sets the film apart from being a rather bad “G” rated matinee is that fact that it is acted by first rate actors, and shot with good direction and set design.  

Faye Dunaway at the hotel owner is a cross between Ivana Trump and Omarosa.  Paul Rubens (Pee Wee Herman) is totally out of his usual character as the sadistic animal control officer, and Jason Alexander does NOT act like George Costanza as the hotel manager.  

That said, I could see the ending of the film building about halfway through it and knew that it was going to end in a food fight.  Sure enough…...

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - Minority Report

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 05/20/2015

TITLE: Minority Report

FORMAT: DVD

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 2 hours 25 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 29 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1763.5 miles

SYNOPSIS: A future police officer discovers a flaw in the new system of policing that can predict murders before they occur.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Big Brother with a human face.  The future is super cool and also super scary.  Probably the best written science fiction story since Artificial Intelligence.

PROS AND CONS: I have seen this, but the second viewing was well worth the long length of the film.  

This is one of the more inventive screen plays to come along in the science fiction genre in a long time.  While the initial plot concept is a bit far fetched (predicting crime before it happens through ESP), once established it opens up a whole world of concepts that the film runs with.

The visualization of the future in this film is chilling.  Anonymity is non-existent, the government is all seeing and everyone is just hunky-dory with it because they are all marketed to love it and the benefits that it offers.  

Example:  We will all have self driving cars someday, so you can read or doze while commuting somewhere.  But what happens with the NSA knows where you are because of your cell phone, and overrides your car's navigation to lock the doors and transport you to the nearest police station?  You enter the car thinking that you have self determination, but in fact you don’t.  Your life is controlled for you.

This is the film where Steven Spielberg starts to approach the artistic level of Stanley Kubrick in his storytelling ability.

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Cinema Cycle - My Cousin Vinny

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 5/19/2015

TITLE: My Cousin Vinny

FORMAT: LaserDisc

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 59 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 26.2 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1734.5 miles

SYNOPSIS: Two youths traveling across country are mistaken for murders and placed on trial, defended by one of the defendant's cousin, who is a New York personal injury attorney.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: A case of mistaken identity, back-woods justice and courtroom chaos.  Tony Soprano goes to court.

PROS AND CONS: An entertaining romp where streetwise smarts overcome Hillbilly justice in a small southern town.

After getting about 30 minutes into this film, it becomes obvious that Mr Pesci is the center foil for all of the character actors that abound in this film.  Mr. Pesci is no slouch in this film and plays his part well.  But the film would not be nearly as interesting without the supporting cast to back him up.

While it was often questioned why Marisa Tomei won an Oscar for her role in this film, a second watching of the movie shows why.  She walks a fine line between over-the-top Italian Princess and a very smart woman that puts up with and compliments Vinny Gambino.

Which raises the question of why Fred Gwynne was not nominated for an Oscar.  His role of the presiding judge is the ultimate in the portrayal of the  authoritarian giver of law.  

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

This film is a part of my LaserDisc Collection.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.

Slices of LIfe - May 24, 2015

Slices of Life

Random pictures from the week of May 25, 2015.



Glasses on the piano, Lytro Illum.


The Mall has seen better days. HDR image taken with a Sony Mavica CD.


Sue & her daughter Jessica at the baptism of Sue's great granddaughter. Lytro Illum image.


Double & Trouble, cute for 10 minutes, then they become the tiny raptors from Jurassic Park. Lytro Illum Image


Family in the crowd - Lytro Illum Light Field Camera.


Desirae & Sue - Blair's Baptism. Lytro Illum Image


Sue & Tori


The Internet Hotspot - At the reception for Blair Noel. Google Glass Image

Slices of Life - May 15, 2015

Slices of Life

Random pictures from the week of May 15, 2015.



Polished Power - Hot Rod at Car Show in downtown Bisbee, Arizona. HDR image taken with a Sony Mavica CD.


Little Duce Coupe - Hot Rod at Car Show in downtown Bisbee, Arizona. HDR image taken with a Sony Mavica CD.


Prepared for any eventuality - Pre-1920s truck, Car Show in downtown Bisbee, Arizona. HDR image taken with a Sony Mavica CD.


Roger Ramjets Coupe de Ville - Lowell, Arizona. Lytro Illum Light Field Camera.


Don't Piss Off The Faires - Enough Said - Lytro Illum Light Field Camera.

Cinema Cycle - Edge Of Tomorrow

CINEMA CYCLE

(Cardio Workout And Reviewing Movies At The Same Time)

DATE VIEWED: 05/15/2015

TITLE: Edge of Tomorrow

FORMAT: Streaming (Google Play)

TIME RIDDEN / FILM LENGTH: 1 hour 52 minutes

DISTANCE RIDDEN WHILE VIEWING: 27.9 miles

TOTAL CINEMA MILES LOGGED: 1708.3 miles

SYNOPSIS: A corporate ad-man is drafted to fight an alien enemy that can control time and he re-lives the same battle day after day.

CONCEPT IN RELATION TO THE VIEWER: Mind bending science fiction, that is engaging to watch, but starts to get a bit far fetched after a while.

PROS AND CONS: This is arguably Tom Cruz’s best genre of film.  The every man action hero with lots and lots of visual effects and stunts.  In that vein, he is almost the current version of Cary Grant / James Stewart in their Alfred Hitchcock heyday.  

This film is extremely CGI (computer graphic imagery) rich, with every scene in some way enhanced with special effects.  While it makes the film engrossing to watch with a lot of detail, eventually this starts to take the starring role and the concept of the plot starts to get lost.  

The better acting in this film is done by Emily Blunt and Tom Paxton who play their characters to to the hilt.  Mr. Cruz is good as well, but after a while he always seems to be playing the same character.  

To read an overview of this project, check out the initial post for this series.

Clicking on the title will take you to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for this film. 

This film was viewed while exercising on my recumbent cycle.  A summary of my time spent working out on my journey through movie-land can be found on Strava.com.