YouTube observations and The Prestige

I just realized (yesterday) that a YouTube user has been uploading all the seasons of The Tribe. I think she's made it up to the fourth season. every episode--52 per season--is divided into four parts, about five minutes long each. That comes out to so many hours of The Tribe--that I don't even have to pay for.

I'd already watched up through the end of season two, so I'm working my way through season three right now. It's awesome.

But I keep hearing mixed rumors that YouTube may start charging for membership. so that could suck.

--------------------

I went to see The Prestige last night with Nicole.

I definitely enjoyed it more than Insomnia, another Christopher Nolan film. I'm still trying to decide if I like it better than Batman Begins. Maybe. It's a close race.

I figured out the general two-part twist halfway through, but I'm still puzzling over a few specifics.

For example, the business with Tesla (David Bowie)--and there are a few parts to this question. One: Why was "Tesla" the keyword if it had nothing to do with anything of Christian Bale's backstory? Two: When Tesla's machine does its cloning/teleportation, where does the original go? Is it the original that is transported and the duplicate that is left over? Or is it the other way around? And if the original is transported, then Hugh Jackman's duplicate shot the original--but if the duplicate is transported, then the original shot the duplicate in that situation, but after every "transported man" trick the original is being drowned while the duplicate lives on.

Or is what Tesla said the absolute truth? "They are all your hat." Duplicate and original don't matter, because they're exactly the same in every way--identical consciousness and sense of self continues on in both?

And following Bale back to Tesla, is that why he has an identical brother? Is it a real twin, or a Tesla creation? And which one is the little girl's father--the brother who was condemned to death or the one who survived? I'm guessing it's the one who survived, since it was he who loved the girl's mother.

I sigh, still enjoying all the motif moments.

See it.

Turn the page ...

Close the book ...

an ogre, a secret, and a game

Somehow England is soon ridding itself of Tony, but we still can't dethrone King George? Why not?

--------------------

Last night, I watched: The Ogre, Mr Rice's Secret, and Nemesis Game. These are the bare-bones reviews.

The Ogre: The outbreak of World War II helps a French simpleton named Abel (John Malkovich) -- who was wrongfully accused of attacking a young girl -- avoid prison time. But when his army unit gets captured, he's imprisoned in a Nazi camp. The film unravels into a dark fairy tale in which Abel is groomed to train Hitler youth under the direction of der Führer's right-hand man, Hermann Goering (Volker Spengler).

It's sad, because, in the end, Abel wants to save the children in his charge (because their other teachers have gone off and died); but they're brainwashed little Nazi shit-heels who try to kill him for his effort. Message: Children suck. And destiny is not on your side. ***

Mr Rice's Secret: A terminally ill boy, Owen (Bill Switzer), discovers a sealed envelope addressed to him from Mr. Rice (David Bowie). Owen soon discovers that Mr. Rice has left him a medieval code ring, a treasure map and a series of clues -- clues that will lead him on a surreal treasure hunt and one step closer to his destiny ... which may save his life.

The premise is good, and David Bowie is surprisingly good in his relatively minor role, though I'm more often than not reminded of The Hunger and a little bit Labyrinth. However, it's low budget; and there's only so much you can do with the fantasy genre when you have no money. Message: Accept that you'll die one day, live in the now, and you'll be happy. And my parents are obviously incredibly lenient--kids in this movie are getting belted or threatened with being belted every ten minutes. Yes, terminally ill boy, you're weak and fragile, but you've misbehaved, so pull down your pants ... ? ***

Nemesis Game: Mystery-thriller about a shy college student, Sara (Carly Pope--from Popular), and her friend, Vern (Adrian Paul, doing his best to hide his accent), who spend their time solving mental games and riddles for fun. But when everyone around her starts dying one by one, Sara begins to wonder whether she's part of someone else's game. Could her life be in danger, too?

Short answer: Yes. Rena Owen and Ian McShane also star in this. Owen is a crazy woman who's seen "the great design" and become a murderess and McShane is Pope's policeman father. Everyone is conveniently tangled into the Toronto-set plot.

I suspected the ending would be a cop-out, and it sort of is. But it couldn't be otherwise; because if it weren't a cop-out, then it would've been a really good movie (not direct-to-video schtick). But between the believable craziness of Owen and my predisposition to enjoy watching Paul do anything, it was an enjoyable distraction. Message: You're better off not knowing the grand design of the universe; knowing will make you kill people for reasons known only to you. ***

Turn the page ...

Close the book ...