Up next on my 90's Fest Movie 🎥 and TV 📺 Marathon...Apollo 13 (1995) on glorious vintage VHS 📼! #movie #movies #drama #actionadventure #truestory #apollo13 #RonHoward #TomHanks #kevinbacon #BillPaxton #GarySinise #EdHarris #KathleenQuinlan #clinthoward #marykateschellenhardt #MikoHughes #LorenDean #joespano #lorendean #ChrisEllis #maxelliottslade #tracyreiner #XanderBerkeley #BrettCullen #austinobrien #neilarmstrong #RIPBillPaxton #ripneilarmstrong #JackSwigert #ripjackswigert #FredHaise #vintage #vhs #90s #90sfest #durandurantulsas2ndannual90sfest

Happy Pub Day to one of my OG Favorites before I found the world of Bookstagram!!!! Thank you @berkleypub and @lorendean for always making me the happiest reader ever! Hope you have the best Pub Day Yet David!! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfojp95L-6k/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Enemy of the State (1998)

You’ll have to swallow a whole lot of ridiculous operations and technology to believe Enemy of the State. Well, I say get yourself a big glass of water and get ready to massage your throat. This suspense thriller is worth suspending your disbelief for.

Labor attorney Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) has his life turned upside down when an old acquaintance slips him an encoded disc capturing the murder of a congressman by NSA official Thomas Bryan Reynolds (Jon Voight). The problem is he doesn’t know he has the video. When his bank accounts are frozen, his name smeared in the newspapers, he loses his job and his marriage, he has no idea why. Bugged and dogged by a government who is convinced he knows more than he lets on, he has no choice but to go on the run.

I’m going to do what I should have done from the beginning and address the technology and the contrived plot so we can move on. In this world, all security cameras shoot in 1080P, are always on, are as accessible as public libraries, and are powered by magic. At one point, a computer analyzes Robert's bag, compares it to the one he had been holding a second ago, uses the shadows and its shape to emphasize the differences by generating a rotating 3-D model - all from a stationary camera. You also have to believe everyone hired by the NSA are robots that follow orders no matter what - including murder. In that case, why didn’t they just skip the part where they weave all of these elaborate lies, wait until Robert was at home with his family, cut the phone line, enter through the front door and force him to find the video at gunpoint?

Once you get past that, Enemy of the State is successful. The villains are despicable and you hate them, so you want more than anything to see the conspiracy they’ve woven torn down and their dirty deeds exposed. But how? The odds are stacked so high against Dean you have no idea how he’ll get out of this jam. Actually, there's hope because he's smart. Sometimes it takes him a little bit to wrap his mind around what is going on, but when the plot requires him to run and improvise, he does it well. With his quick wit and an ally that comes in later (I hesitate to say who because it would give things away, but if you’re dying to know his name is on the movie poster), if someone can get through this mess, it’s them. I’m not saying it’s a great film, but as a rental, or something you watch on a lazy Sunday, it checks the boxes you want it to.

Enemy of the State would've been a better - I'd even dare say “important” - film if it was more realistically done and took itself more seriously, particularly when we consider how much of our activities CAN be surveilled today. As is, however, it certainly entertains, it makes the 132-minute running time feel like nothing, and the ending is terrific. I can’t recommend it highly but I'd certainly watch it again. (On VHS, February 13, 2016)

Gattaca

#RosewoodRiots #MichaelRooker #Racism #KnowYourRacists #RosewoodFlorida #FannieTaylor #KuKluxKlan #BruceMcGill #DonCheadle #RobertEliasWalker #1920s #WhiteRioters #VingRhames #RacistsExposed #RacialDiscrimination #LorenDean #JohnWright #Rosewood #1923 #WhiteSupremacy #RosewoodMassacre #RaceRiots #Riots #SylvesterCarrier #DukePurdy #EliseNeal #CatherineKellner #Necklacing #LynchMobs #JonVoight https://www.instagram.com/p/CQx8oV-sICJ/?utm_medium=tumblr

いざ。 #AdAstra #アドアストラ #JamesGray #BradPitt #ブラッドピット #TommyLeeJones #トミーリージョーンズ #RuthNegga #ルースネッガ #LivTyler #リヴタイラー #DonaldSutherland #JohnOrtiz #GregBryk #KimberlyElise #LorenDean #JohnFinn #LisaGayHamilton #AlysonReed #movie #cinéma #映画 (TOHOシネマズ 新宿 (TOHO CINEMAS Shinjuku)) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3o4xHAAxhX/?igshid=tho88t84qn4i

Favorites : Enemy of the State (1998)

It’s no secret that I have a special place in my heart for almost anything produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, short of the era beginning with and following the Transformers series.  Nearly everything he put his money behind in the 1990s, however, resonates on both the entertainment and sociological levels, as well as more than often tip-toeing the line of high art.  If someone forced me to expound on this statement, I believe that exhibit A would be Enemy of the State.  

NSA official Thomas Bryan Reynolds (Jon Voight) meets with U.S. Congressman Phil Hammersley (Jason Robards) in hopes of pushing forward legislation that will allow the NSA more access to surveillance in every aspect, be it foreign or domestic, friend or foe.  When Hammersley declines to offer support, he is killed by David Pratt (Barry Pepper), Reynolds’ right hand man.  Unbeknownst to Reynolds, however, amateur birdwatcher Daniel Zavitz (Jason Lee) has a motion-sensitive camera at that location to capture ducks and geese, and the camera captures the crime.  As Zavitz attempts to get the tapes to the media, Reynolds and his NSA cohorts exact all of their powers to stop the information from going public.  Zavitz, while on the run from his pursuers, runs into Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith), a labor lawyer and old college friend, and he takes the opportunity to stash the recording on Dean without him knowing, only to end up dead moments later at the end of the chase.  Dean is shaken by the encounter, and his alerts go up when agents Krug (Jake Busey) and Jones (Scott Caan) show up at his door with odd questions.  Dean contacts his information leak (and former lover) Rachel Banks (Lisa Bonet) in hopes of understanding what is going on, but the contact throws Dean’s life into upheaval, putting him in direct contact with Rachel’s information contact Brill (Gene Hackman) in hopes of understanding what is happening to him.  Once the duo discover the footage they hold, they turn the cat and mouse game on its head in hopes of blowing the entire scandal wide open, and dismantling the NSA’s plans from the inside.

The elephant in the room, clearly, is how on the nose this film was in terms of post-9/11 society, and how it’s shaped information and surveillance technology.  This film is just over two decades old, but the levels of technology implemented in the film, from old school bugs to satellite tracking, are all commonplace and accepted as fact.  The levels of surveillance depicted, be it criminal surveillance of mobsters, casual surveillance for hobbyists, intrusion and takeover of radio and TV signals, or even the government need to monitor and assess potential threats are deep and far-reaching, and all heavily prevalent in our modern society all across the world.  While some aspects were slightly exaggerated to serve expositional purposes, the lion’s share of the technology and knowledge present in the film is based on hard truth and documented facts.

Where the genius of this film iles is in its unstated connection to the 1974 eavesdropping film The Conversation, starring Gene Hackman as surveillance technician Harry Call, a private operator with a dark history in regards to government connections to his work and the lives that it cost.  It is never outright stated in Enemy of the State that Hackman is reprising the role, but there are plenty of subtle, rhythmic echoes that give the connection validity.  The obvious, nail in the coffin evidence would be the scene where Robert Dean and Rachel Banks meet in the park to discuss what is happening to Dean, as it is almost identical to the infamous opening sequence of The Conversation... the only thing that really sets the two apart is the absence of Robert Shields, the famous mime and New York icon at the time.  Brill’s version of a Faraday Cage that he has affectionately dubbed ‘The Jar’ plays like an extremely condensed version of his former warehouse home.  Even the way that Brill and Dean force signals into homes in the final third of the film mirror the closing moments of The Conversation, where Harry Call realizes his home is not as secure as he imagined.

Movies like this, in retrospect, helped me understand what color-timing could do for a film, as the very heavy presence of a blue hue gives the film a sense of dread without a word ever being spoken.  The hue also offsets the warmer moments in the Dean home, as well as the heavy presence of monitors, computer screens and data.  The casting department was batting 1.000 for this production, as every level of role needed was perfect, be it star power that connected on screen, a slew of supporting roles cast by future stars in their own rights, or even a handful of amazing uncredited roles by high profile actors who deserved co-starring or special guest credits.  The production design and special effects also help enhance the scale and feel of the movie, as the level of styles used to keep tabs on Dean range from large to small scale, the presence of helicopters adds to the paranoia, and the gunfight at the end releases two hours of ever-increasing tension.

On the starring level, the chemistry between Will Smith and Gene Hackman is surprisingly electric, while Jon Voight brings solid bad guy energy to the table.  The supporting spread is diverse, and everyone is hitting their marks effortlessly... Lisa Bonet and Regina King portray completely different shades of desirable, intelligent and driven women.  Barry Pepper, Jake Busey and Scott Caan bring a sense of duty and danger to their roles as the hired muscle.  Having Jack Black, Jamie Kennedy and Seth Green run around together is a stroke of luck and genius.  An early appearance by Anna Gunn helps bring a humanity to Voight not present in his NSA scenes.  Jason Lee gets to spread his wings just a bit, showing some action chops while reeling in his comedic prowess, all of which help us buy into the story.  Uncredited appearances by Gabriel Byrne, Jason Robards, Tom Sizemore and Philip Baker Hall, as well as a ton of other character actors, fill out the remainder of the world.

This movie was always a favorite of mine, but it has really and truly come to hold a special place in my heart due to the sheer prowess of the cast, the way it has grown both dated and eerily correct about the changing times, and its connection to The Conversation.  Other Bruckheimer-connected properties may have gone on to greater critical acclaim and box-office success, but for my money’s worth, this one will always be held in the highest regard.

“the most dangerous awards season” 🎓📺✍️ #TVconcept #scripidea #showbible . . The end of the spring semester & the end of the school year meant undergraduate awards season. The Valedictorian was the least coveted award at the College since it was based straight off of GPA. The two coveted prizes were based on likely to make a significant contribution to society (Wanamaker Prize) & outstanding creative work (Stringfellow Fellowship). Recipients were allowed to give a speech at commencement. . The selection process is highly political, like a brokered political convention, with four rounds of voting by four different judging panels for each. Tradition kept the voting behind closed doors with the recipient informed two days before commencement. Typically, the choices are “safe” ones (e.g., in a good year a student going to an Ivy law school or the Iowa Writers’ Workshop), but with younger faculty coming on board the nominees were getting more & more interesting. . The initial votes went through the Faculty Senate, but for each of the finalists, a sponsor needed to be chosen to advocate in front of the four panels over the course of a week. Energy surrounded this year’s selection process with the faculty strongly divided over the choices. Infighting in a few departments caused a fragmented vote & two dark horses emerged, much to the chagrin of the old guard. One had a working iOS app that was subversively undermining fast fashion using blockchain & another had an animated proof of concept for her animated black comedy film & graphic novel that was clearly NC-17. The spirited debates started on Monday at 8am... . Song on @Spotify #playlist #spotifyplaylist @piroshkaband #hatedbythepowersthatbe #linkinbio Link in bio. . #manhattan# #manhattannyc #manhattannewyork #ny #nyc #newyork #newyorkcity #newyorknewyork #newyork_instagram . . Stills from #SayAnything (dir: Cameron Crowe) (1989), Graduation scene w/Joe (#LorenDean) singing @whitneyhouston’s #GreatestLoveOfAll (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByE_t2_lxmC/?igshid=yu4vetj0yc5m

Overshoots “Contact,” “Gravity” and “The Martian” until it reaches Uranus. ~P #10wordmoviereviews #adastra #bradpitt #tommyleejones #ruthnegga #donaldsutherland #kimberlyelise #lorendean #livtyler

Happy Birthday. Today, July 31, 1969 – Loren Dean, American actor was born. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loren_Dean) #LorenDean

Now showing on my 90's Fest Movie 🎥 marathon...Apollo 13 (1995) on glorious vintage VHS 📼! #movie #movies #drama #historicaldrama #truestory #Apollo13 #RonHoward #TomHanks #kevinbacon #BillPaxton #garysinise #ripbillpaxton #EdHarris #KathleenQuinlan #clinthoward #marykateschellenhardt #MikoHughes #LorenDean #joespano #maxelliottslade #XanderBerkeley #rancehoward #tracyreiner #austinobrien #vintage #vhs #90s #90sfest #durandurantulsas3rdannual90sfest

#Gattaca #EthanHawke #UmaThurman #JudeLaw #AlanArkin #GoreVidal #EliasKoteas #MayaRudolph #BlairUnderwood #ChadChrist #ErnestBorgnine #KenMarino #LorenDean #XanderBerkeley

🇪🇸 Tres astronautas van de camino a reproducir la gesta de Neil Armstrong. En el trayecto, una serie de complicaciones en la nave ponen en peligro a la tripulación. La preparación, serenidad y trabajo en equipo desde la tierra para intentar ayudarlos, será clave. Relatando un hecho histórico de la carrera espacial. Se viven momentos angustiosos, la política y el sensacionalismo de los medios, retrata con precisión una sociedad adicta al espectáculo en vez de en lo importante. Muy bien repartido el peso de la actuación entre las estrellas protagonistas y, los secundarios haciendo creíble ese trabajo en equipo. 🇬🇧 Three astronauts are on their way to reproduce Neil Armstrong's feat. Along the way, a series of complications on the ship put the crew in danger. Preparation, serenity and teamwork from the ground to try to help them will be key. Relating a historical fact of the space race. Distressing moments are experienced, politics and media sensationalism accurately portrays a society addicted to the spectacle instead of the important thing. The weight of the performance was very well distributed between the main stars and the secondary stars, making that teamwork credible. #Apollo13 #Apolo13 #Drama #History #Historia #RonHoward #JamesALovell #TomHanks #BillPaxton #KevinBacon #GarySinise #EdHarris #KathleenQuinlan #MaryKateSchellhardt #MikoHughes #NeilArmstrong #JeanSpeegleHoward #TracyReiner #ChrisEllis #DavidAndrew #MaxElliotSlade #ClintHoward #LorenDean #ThomBarry #JamesHorner #Películas1995 #CríticaCine #Review https://www.instagram.com/p/COaRxUcjIMc/?igshid=1b6floibvfzqy

#RosewoodRiots #MichaelRooker #Racism #KnowYourRacists #RosewoodFlorida #FannieTaylor #KuKluxKlan #BruceMcGill #DonCheadle #RobertEliasWalker #1920s #WhiteRioters #VingRhames #RacistsExposed #RacialDiscrimination #LorenDean #JohnWright #Rosewood #1923 #WhiteSupremacy #RosewoodMassacre #RaceRiots #Riots #SylvesterCarrier #DukePurdy #EliseNeal #CatherineKellner #Necklacing #LynchMobs #JonVoight https://www.instagram.com/p/CQx8eKMMcms/?utm_medium=tumblr

#RosewoodRiots #MichaelRooker #Racism #KnowYourRacists #RosewoodFlorida #FannieTaylor #KuKluxKlan #BruceMcGill #DonCheadle #RobertEliasWalker #1920s #WhiteRioters #VingRhames #RacistsExposed #RacialDiscrimination #LorenDean #JohnWright #Rosewood #1923 #WhiteSupremacy #RosewoodMassacre #RaceRiots #Riots #SylvesterCarrier #DukePurdy #EliseNeal #CatherineKellner #Necklacing #LynchMobs #JonVoight https://www.instagram.com/p/CQx8BSvs3UA/?utm_medium=tumblr