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Reviews
Pandora's Promise (2013)
A very important, thoughtful film
This film interviews several environmentalists and peace campaigners who have changed their mind on nuclear, and explores the reasons why they have changed their mind from "anti" to "pro". The film doesn't gloss over the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima; some of the speakers visit these locations in person and acknowledge their unease in a thoughtful way, but they also press on and discuss quantitatively whether people have been poorly informed about the actual dangers. The film is a myth-buster, which gives the open-minded viewer the chance to compare polemics with facts that the viewer can verify. The film makers take a radiation dose meter around the world, showing on screen the readings in capital cities, inside a nuclear power station, in aeroplanes, on a beach in Brazil (to which people flock for its natural radiation), near Fukushima, and near Chernobyl. Viewers who like me love numbers are advised to take a sheet of paper and pen to note down the readings at the beach, near Fukushima, and near Chernobyl. No doubt the main response to this film will be a brawl between "pro" and "anti" people, most of whom have not seen the film. They all need to calm down and watch this film.
Some people compare this film with An Inconvenient Truth. I think Pandora's Promise is a better documentary.
Contrary to what other reviewers say, it is not "propaganda by the nuclear industry" - only a couple of the people involved in the film were ever employed by the nuclear industry; most of the people interviewed are genuinely independent thinkers, mainly environmentalists, with no hidden agenda, who have taken the trouble to look at facts and data, and who have been willing to imagine that their opinions might be wrong. This is a trait to be admired.
See the film, study the facts, then decide. (And, incidentally, I should say the film's photography is great!)
Cypher (2002)
Shows how to make great films on a low budget
This film reminded me of Memento (one of my favourite films); of Total Recall (another huge favourite) and The Sixth Day; of The Fifth Element; of Brazil; of The Recruit; and of Gattacca.
The opening titles are an exquisite work of art -- sliding black and white bars interacting with white/black text. Very distinctive, and a wonderful start to a finely crafted film.
It's a film about a dorkish chap who wants to be a secret agent for an almost contemporary software company (very slightly in the future). Then he's asked to be a double agent...
I think Total Recall pulls off this style of plot even better than Cypher, but I'd say both are essential viewing.
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
Amazing acting, amazing film technically, and very funny
Eddie Murphy deserves 6 oscars for this film. Every character he acts is completely believable, moving, empathy-inducing, and it's simply jaw-dropping that he could produce all of them. The film's scenes in which multiple characters kiss each other (with drool!), dance with each other, pass food to each other, are technically jaw-dropping too. And there are great jokes throughout too.