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Deterrence (1999)
7/10
"I'll have my burger with a side of fried Iraqis" said the pending prez.
22 July 2005
Okay. I saw this listed on the Scream network last night (Thursday Thriller) and the plot sounded pretty good, so I checked it out. The cast was great. I thought maybe this was a play originally, because the whole movie takes place in the diner. The plot is basically that the V.P. has been acting president for several months after the death of the president. He is on the campaign trail, and he has won an important primary. A debilitating snowstorm lands him in a little isolated country greasy spoon diner, where several otherlocals and customers are stranded. All hell breaks loose when the TV announces that Saddam Hussain's son Uday has invaded Kuwait.

This one has actually held up fairly well as a post 9/11 alternate history. Shawn Astin plays a local redneck. There is a couple in the diner waiting out the storm by squabbling and playing chess; the president offers an opinion on the board setup. I suspect that most world leaders are pretty good at chess or they don't last long in office.

The cast of characters was pretty representative of the American sentiments. The part I disbelieve the most is the fact that a nuclear bomb blasting away a whole city of innocents could be taken so lightly by a president. In real life, I doubt if he would get away with his decision in these times... since we are now all too painfully aware of how united the Arabs can be; the movie would have an epilogue entitled 'Retaliation'.

Ask me now if I mind that Uday is not around to follow in his father's footsteps... not likely.
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9/10
Grade 5 - the angst and glory of ballroom competition
13 July 2005
Oh My! Wow! What an outstanding movie! I only hope they can revisit these children in 5 or ten years and find out how this has affected their lives.

It was amazing to watch these kids at a critical time in their lives, learning to respect themselves and the opposite sex. It brought back so many memories of the things that made us sweat and giggle.

I have to admit, I was surprised that the kids acted so naturally. They seemed very comfy in front of the camera. Maybe kids are generally more used to being filmed because of camcorders and increased multimedia opportunities.

Bravo, Amy and Marilyn. You get the biiiiiig trophy!
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Big Eden (2000)
9/10
Oh, if the world was truly that accepting!
27 July 2004
What a marvelous movie! A gay romantic comedy. Going home to find out your secret life isn't really much of a secret, and knowing that some people actually want to help you find what you thought you would never have.

I have watched it twice on the movie channel now, and I love it. It is hard for me to imagine life actually being like that in a remote place. I am not gay, but this movie reinforced for me, that gays are looking for the right love just like straights. OK, so I'm a romantic. I can only hope that this was really someone's experience.

Hopefully we will see more of this kind of thing, until it is no more unusual. Yea!!!!
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