#documentaryreview

[punisherpapi-blog]

Street Cinema: The Age of Disclosure didn’t fully prove its biggest claims — but it gave me enough smoke, enough credible voices, and enough controlled ambiguity to take the subject seriously. If UAPs are real, why won’t they just say it?

[thewritermuses]

The Cove

The Cove - Louie Psihoyos

This film is more about its making than the event it is documenting. This in itself is very interesting.

The narrative that they construct about the making of the film isn't great.

There is no huge crisis moment. They try to make this the moment that the request to film on location is denied. We know it is going to be denied, so this is not a big moment at all.

The film crew, led by Louie, is attempting to document the annual dolphin hunt in Taiji, Japan. We are introduced to the state of play by Richard Barry (Absence of Malice and Flipper).

Where to begin. Every year in Taiji, dolphins are herded into a series of coves to be sold as performing dolphins. 

The majority are not chosen. They are herded into a well-protected cove, out of sight of everyone. It is here that they are killed.

The film looks at the background of all of this. Barry was responsible for capturing the dolphins that were used in Flipper. We are presented with information, at length, about how bad captivity is for these social animals.

Barry is so remorseful about helping kick off the industry. He tells us some very harrowing stories. 

For example, one of the Flipper dolphins swam into his arms and chose to stop breathing. This was a key moment in Barry's activism, and he immediately tried to free other dolphins from marine parks.

The sale of dolphins for parks is where the real money is. The rest of the dolphins are killed, and their meat is sold. But dolphin meat is really bad because it has high mercury levels.

Japan knows all of this. It has been through all of this before with another town that used to participate in the trade as well.

There were widespread birth defects. So why would they allow this to happen again?

The movie posits that Japan may actually be very worried about food security.

This is where another part of the film comes in. The International Whaling Commission (IWC).

We get to see some truly farcical scenes as Japan makes its argument for scientific research by killing whales. This doesn't really hold water for me, as the dolphins are poisonous, and they know.

The IWC does show some crazy stuff that Japan is prepared to do to be able to keep on whaling. Like bribing other governments to vote for it to continue.

The tail end of the film is the most interesting. They have a 'putting the crew together' section.

We have maps of the hidden cove and where they plan to station the hidden cameras.

We get to see a dry run to test the underwater equipment. The night vision stuff is excellent and exciting. They don't let us know if they are successful or not until we see the full footage.

The film is good overall. We get some great background into a hidden industry that we should know is pretty bad now.

The bits that I find hard to understand are why? What does Japan get out of the hunt apart from the performing dolphins being sold?

They did get some interesting vox-pops from Japanese people in other cities about the topic in general, which was interesting but hardly representative. Just sad really.

[luminancetv]

Unraveling the Dark Mystery: The Case of Lori Vallow Daybell

True crime community,

In a recent deep dive, Luminance TV has brought to light one of the most convoluted and heart-wrenching cases in recent history - the saga of Lori Vallow Daybell. This story, rife with twists and turns, is a harrowing journey through a series of tragic events that have both shocked and perplexed the nation.

Background: The case centers around Lori Vallow Daybell, infamously dubbed as the 'Doomsday Mom.' It involves the tragic deaths of her children, Tylee and JJ, and her husband Chad Daybell's first wife, Tammy.

Key Revelations:

The documentary explores the eerie circumstances surrounding Tammy Daybell's death and the subsequent cashing in of a hefty life insurance policy by Chad.

The sudden disappearance of Tylee and JJ set off a series of investigations unveiling a web of lies, deceit, and alleged religious delusions.

The involvement of Lori in these events, and her behavior following the disappearances, casts a dark shadow over the entire case.

The Trial: Lori Vallow Daybell was found guilty on all counts in a trial that gripped the nation. The prosecution painted a picture of a manipulative mastermind, twisting her religious beliefs for personal gain.

Chad Daybell's Upcoming Trial: The focus now shifts to Chad Daybell, whose trial is set for April 1st, 2024. He faces charges including the murder of his first wife and the children.

Watch the Full Coverage: For those who follow true crime, this case is a stark reminder of the complexity and often hidden darkness in human nature. Luminance TV’s documentary offers comprehensive coverage and expert insights into this chilling case.

Watch the full video here

Closing Thoughts: As we follow this case, let’s remember the lives tragically lost and the importance of seeking justice. This story is a labyrinth of mystery and sorrow, a case that will undoubtedly be analyzed and discussed for years to come.

Stay informed and stay compassionate,

Luminance TV

[maciekpro]

“Apollo 11” goes beyond a child’s dream from thirty years ago

APOLLO 11 - RATE 10/10

One of the first historical facts that I remembered as a child were the words spoken by Neil Armstrong jumping off the lunar lander — it’s a small step for man, but a great leap for humanity.

It was extremely evocative. I was way too young to watch live coverage of the moon landing and — at the end of the eighties in Poland — there were only two channels of national television, so it was rather difficult to come across snapshots from NASA. There was no internet either, so I relied on kid’s imagination.

Over the years, I consumed every film about space, that I could find. Mostly sci-fi of course. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Alien, finally Apollo 13. Never did I think that one day I would be able to watch the first moon landing almost one-to-one, in a documentary film made on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

Todd Douglas Miller, looking for unpublished shots for his document, has acquired rather extraordinary archival materials from NARA (National Archives and Records Administration). It had beed locked away, untouched for fifty years! 70-mm. large format positives, obtained from 65-mm. negatives using the Todd-AO method.

The technicalities are usually of a minor importance, but are rather crucial in this case. In the 1950s, the United States cinema fought against the popularity of television by flexing its muscles with technological innovations. One of them was a large format positive, 70mm wide. It allowed the recording of a very wide picture and four soundtracks. Let’s leave the sound for a while (I’ll get back to this later).

Dan Rooney, a NARA archivist working with Miller, said during one of the working-talks that there was a certain amount of material from NASA on the large format tape. Miller asked for further information. It turned out that the agency has 165 rolls of 70mm film, of which 61 rolls related to the Apollo 11 mission.

Why did NASA shoot archival materials on a 65-mm. negative, changed in the Todd-AO process to a 70-mm. positive? This was due to a joint project with MGM Studios that unfortunately never did kick off. Despite this, during the documentary shots of the Apollo missions, it was decided to stick to the technology that was used in the implementation of such cinema legends as “The sounds of music”, “Around the World in 80 Days”, “Hello, Dolly!” and “Cleopatra”. Fortunately!

The quality of the 70mm large format positives delighted the creators involved in the project. Add to that modern editing techniques, post-production and color correction and you get an image that will knock your socks off. All this is buttered with the beautiful music of Matt Morton, which perfectly raises the mood (think “Interstellar”, but more classy).

And then there’s the sound. Radio recordings from each of several dozen loops at the Florida Flight Control Center, comms with astronauts in a rocket, comms between the LM lander, lunar orbiter and Earth, conversations on board — roughly ELEVEN THOUSAND OF HOURS OF AUDIO. 458 days! Titanic effort, but it allowed to lead a feature film-like narrative. There are no interviews, no talking heads, there are only a few simple animations describing the subsequent phases of the flight. The whole document is happening here and now, not looking back from the today’s perspective.

The footage taken by the team led by Theo Kamecke are spectacular. Remarkable shots of the Saturn V rocket being rolled on a giant transporter to the Launchpad, phenomenal close-ups of Neil Amstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins wearing space suits — their faces, full of emotions, focused on what they are going to achieve. This is extremely powerful.

Shots showing what was happening outside of NASA buildings are also a great strength of the film. We watch the rocket launch with the spectators onsite. People who came from different states and from abroad to see with their own eyes as the three superheroes are taking off to the moon. Aerial photos show the campers town, followed by close-ups of people in colorful vintage clothes (well, period-adequate really), wearing great hairstyles and fashionable glasses, laden with gadgets like 8 and 16mm movie cameras, telescopes, binoculars, battery operated tourist radios, cameras.

There are caravans, travel chairs, people sleeping in large station wagons, stands with hot dogs and sandwiches, flags. There is a VIP area, NASA officials and presidential officials, a crowd of women in dresses and gentlemen in hats mixes with military uniforms, journalists weighed down by equipment. Few hundreds of shirtless campers crammed into the concrete waterfront parking lot in front of the Pennys store. Grandparents show something to their grandchildren, fathers drink beer while their daughters look through binoculars. For me — a child of Polish martial law — all the damn colorful America of the sixties is there!

And here is the Apollo 11 mission. Seeing the Saturn V rocket standing on jet flames and clearing the tower I was all choked up. I cried with emotion. Such is the power of these images!

Amazing, moving shots from cameras on earth, and then from space. Satisfaction while watching this movie is beyond anything. It is absolutely better than any of my expectations. Better than any CGI in any feature film. Because it is so REAL! Nothing can be compared to that. Nothing in the world.

Emotions when approaching the moon are indescribable. I know they will make it, but when the 1201 and 1202 executive overflow alarms sounds, I’m on the edge of my seat! When Neil switches to manual control, overriding the computer; when the fuel reading is getting lower, and he is still looking for a convenient place to land, I’m on pins and needles. 60 seconds of fuel, 30 seconds, 15 seconds… Delicious sense of relief when they finally landed.

After all, I learned about it as a kid: “on July the 20th 1969, the astronauts of the American mission Apollo 11 landed on the moon surface for the first time” Then, I felt that it was something big. But certainly I had no idea that it was so great! The second time I cry when Amstrong utters his famous words and descends to the surface of the moon. The third I cry time when astronauts return safely to Earth. You may say I’m soft. That may be, but believe me, I got soaked in this movie like in a child’s dream from thirty years ago.

It is a total must-see. Maybe it’s the best movie ever made. Certainly the best in 2019 and the best movie about space in general. Ocasionally there are screenings in cinemas, but you definately can rent it on various streaming platforms. You definately should.

And once you watch it, please visit https://apolloinrealtime.org/11/ and see the study that Ben Feist did for the Apollo 11 mission.

[snowflakesliyanna]

Review on “How the Earth made Man”

In this documentary many scientist specializing at different fields come together to explain the different clues that are within us; “clues”, they say that speaks of the Earth’s history and how it changed the genetic make-up of humans and how humans recognizes its “past” forms and history through little proofs in our psychological responses and physical reactions.

I am well aware that all of which that are stated were theories, and though these are but a theory it seemed to me that they talk as if it was the actual truth, the way the documentary put it; everything was just a product of luck and that the game could change anytime and that all that we are is a complex system with the only core agenda being survival and nothing but that alone, for me it’s like saying that love is just an illusion influenced by our choice and ideals in selecting mate and protecting offspring for the sake of survival; for me it was like saying that our parents didn’t really loved us, but were just under the illusion of it and that they were just trying to protect us for the sake of the continuation of the genes stored in us, that’s what I think these thoughts were suggesting. But if all of this are true, I don’t know how on earth and where morality comes in, and if really human behavior was because its ancestor lived on the wrong side of the river and copied that gene that codes for competition instead of sharing, then scientifically we can rationalized whenever people covet or rob from one another.  I think all of these ideas though treated as facts could be misleading in the long-run; because it meant that people could pass laws and wrong doings could be labeled as the instinct to survived.

The documentary is an obvious denial of everything beyond sight, for all people know is “to see is to believe”, funnily enough, no one was there to see the world age up to this present time, yet people became so sure that we are nothing but lucky modifications that escape many times of close extinction. Well that luck must have been huge enough to allow us to exist and build the modern civilization with minds powerful enough to observed and visit neighboring celestial bodies such us the Mars and the moon.

Though I am amazed by the presentation with its the ideas, and evidences that they are trying to correlate; I still think that you can make cornstarch into a thickening agent or into a body powder whichever you prefer or needed, what I meant is that we can utilize different evidences into proving what we want to prove. These ingredients (or proofs) of evolution could also be proofs of revealing that there is an Author that had fabricated within us His signature, and that could be why we are the same yet were different from other organisms.

I agree that environment plays a vital role, and could really influence us, but in no way could it make us. 

[ptl-movie-blog-blog]

PTL Movie Blog (http://www.ptlmovieblog.com/) #MazuProcession (媽祖迺台灣) 🙏🙏🙏: This documentary is a new acquisition of the library and has been placed on the display shelf, I spotted it and it seemed quite interesting, so again I borrowed it home and watched it. The documentary is all about the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage Procession (大甲媽祖進香遶境), it is a large-scale religious event in Taiwan that has a long history, and it has even been placed alongside Mecca's Hajj and Ganga's baptism to be the world’s 3 largest religious events. The Pilgrimage Procession lasts for 9 days and the worshippers of the Dajia Mazu will normally walk all the way through until the end to witness the whole event. In the documentary, singer-actor Richie Jen (任賢齊), who is also the director this time, introduced not only the tradition of the Pilgrimage, but also the culture of Taiwan. He interviewed different people, ranging from the nuns in the temple, housewives, children, to the business owners who were attending the event, they all had different roles in the event: some housewives voluntarily made the Taiwanese-styled rice dumplings for the worshippers so that they could stop by and had a light meal before continuing their journey; while for the business owners, some provided free delivery service of the people’s dirty clothes back to their home and some gave them a place to take shower… To me, to complete the whole Pilgrimage Procession is a Mission hardly Possible, you can imagine how tired and painful and fatigue will your muscles become…However, in the documentary, what I could see wasn’t tiredness or unwillingness, but rather joy and eagerness of all the worshippers, who wanted to complete the whole event together. If I have a chance, I would also like to attend this event, but I may not have the mentality and physical fitness to complete the whole Pilgrimage purely on foot. And finally, I hope this kind of valuable religious tradition can carry on so that more people can understand it and appreciate it. #hkig #documentary #Moviereview #documentaryreview #Mazu #Mazupilgrimage #Taiwan #Taiwanculture #Taiwanmovie #lovemovie #lovedocumentary #movielover #moviegeek #filmbuff #cinephile #filme #respect #worship #culture #大甲 #鎮瀾宮 #媽祖 #映画

[ptl-movie-blog-blog]

PTL Movie Blog (http://www.ptlmovieblog.com/) ##泣きながら生き: Some photos also taken from the same documentary…. #family #Documentary #Bestdocumentary #moviereview #documentaryreview #Chinesefather #Japan #moviegeek #filmbuff #movielover #cinephile #filme #فلم #Фильм #Pellicula #Película #映画 #family#영화 #GoodFather #Elokuva #Filmi #Филм #Cinéma For more reviews and the movie trailers, please visit: www.ptlmovieblog.com/🎬🎥📹✏️

[ptl-movie-blog-blog]

PTL Movie Blog (http://www.ptlmovieblog.com/) #泣きながら生きて: I remember my high school teacher playing this documentary to the whole class during a double-lesson, and I just want to say that this is one of the best documentaries I have seen up till now. 泣きながら生きて(or 含淚活著 in Chinese) depicts a middle-aged Chinese father, working extremely hard in Japan, he has his wife and daughter back in Shanghai, and they haven’t met him for a long long time already. The r... For the full review and the movie trailer, please visit: www.ptlmovieblog.com/🎬🎥📹✏️ #hkig #Documentary #Bestdocumentary #Chinesefather #Japan #moviereview #documentaryreview #moviegeek #filmbuff #movielover #cinephile #filme #فلم #Фильм #Pellicula #Película #映画 #family#영화 #GoodFather #Elokuva #Filmi #Филм #Cinéma