Review: Loose Change 2nd Edition (2006)

The events on 9/11 are a difficult subject to approach. With the debate between what really happened on that day being muddied by extremists on both sides, coupled with the enormous scope of the investigation, wading through the mountains of evidence and misinformation can feel like a lesson in mass confusion. So concealed by the fog of passing time, fleeting memory, and the often overwhelming nature of our Internet and information based society, the truth, it seems, has been lost to our divisive, post-9/11 world.

I'm not an expert when it comes to political sciences. I don't know squat about thermodynamics, physics, or even basic architecture. No, what I do is watch movies--be they entertaining or educational. Most recently, I watched director Dylan Avery's documentary film, Loose Change 2nd Edition.

I struggled for a while deciding on how best I should review this movie. Who am I, an admitted novice with only a casual interest in conspiracy theory, to judge the merits of this highly controversial and disputed documentary? Ultimately, I chose to review it the only way that I could: through the eyes of a skeptical American eager to gain a better understanding of the world around him. I think when it comes down to it, it is this demographic that the film is aimed towards anyway. So with my salt grains at the ready, I delved into the world of Loose Change...

At nearly and hour and a half long, I was expecting to get hit by a barrage of dates, names, eyewitness reports, and video analysis. Even so, I was nowhere near prepared for the relentlessness of this movie's pacing. In the first few introductory minutes alone, narrator Dylan Avery goes through enough prior knowledge and government-sponsored terrorism documents and news articles to make my head spin. He covers everything from the declassified Operation Northwoods papers to the technical specs on Boeing aircraft and their remote piloting capabilities. Also of note in these scenes, the many strange coincidences regarding military drills and training programs that took place on that day are discussed. Eerily similar to the London subway bombings that would follow a few years later, it seems highly suspect that in the months leading up to it and on the exact day itself, the Pentagon, along with other government and military agencies, was planning for just such an attack.

Right off the bat, I think Loose Change does a good job in at least putting some cracks in the foundation of the credibility and believability of the official 9/11 conclusions. If those in the United States government have conspired to conduct false-flag operations with the goal of furthering international agendas in the past, why should we trust that it will never happen again?

From here, Loose Change moves into the thick of the attack on the Pentagon. Of all the discrepancies on that fateful day, the most damaging, in my mind, to the official investigation have to do with the evidence regarding the Pentagon. Avery does an admirable job in this segment detailing the hard physics of aviation and in analyzing photographic evidence. Again, although I can't in any way verify that the data is legitimate, taken at face value, the 3D computer renderings used to graphically document the plane's path into the structure are highly convincing and used to great effect. To be able to visualize a super-imposed aircraft over photographs of the Pentagon's damage speaks louder than any flight instructor giving testimony as to the competency of the alleged hijacker's piloting skills. Photographic comparisons between the Pentagon crash site and those of other plane crashes in the past were also quite telling. As a whole, it was this evidence that I retained most vividly at the end of the film. Definitely a high-point for me.

Next, the movie goes on to cover the destruction of the World Trade Center and, more briefly, the crash of Flight 93.

During this segment, Avery walks a fine line between factual investigation and downright speculation. On the one hand, the multitude of first-hand eyewitness testimony by everyone from a janitor inside one of the towers to NYC firefighters, he makes a good case for the theory of multiple explosions and a possible controlled demolition. Moreover, video evidence showing smaller plumes of smoke well ahead of the collapsing towers does give credence to the idea the there were explosives planted in the buildings. However, as the adage goes, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence--and frankly, I just don't feel there was enough presented to close the case on the subject. There are oddities, to be sure, but a smoking gun there isn't. And quite unfortunately, the most likely candidate for such a smoking gun, the collapse of WTC building 7, receives comparatively little coverage.

Then Loose Change kind of lost me. As updated from the first edition of the film, the Flight 93 scenes focused less on the confusion regarding possible shoot-down orders and more on the outlandish (and nearly impossible to prove) theory that 93 wasn't brought down, but was in fact diverted to an airport in Ohio and had its passengers removed (of whose fate even Avery admits we will never know). He also goes on to claim that perhaps the cell phone calls from those on the plane--the major piece of evidence that disputes his above theories--were perhaps faked using voice-duplication software that has been recently developed by the DOD.

To borrow a phrase, this stuff is the real turd in the punchbowl when it comes to getting credibility for these theories. The video analysis? Great job. The eyewitness and expert testimony? Very convincing. But why Avery felt the need to piece such speculative theories together into an entirely improvable and highly unbelievable scenario is beyond me. Likewise, a scene from FOXNews' Hannity and Colmes program, in which the hosts interview controversial college professor Kevin Barrett, seemed completely unnecessary and served only to show the arrogance and extreme nature of certain 9/11 truth movement members.

In the ending credits sequence, Avery asks all of his viewers to find their own evidence and to come to their own conclusions. He is careful to say that the evidence he reports and the theories presented in Loose Change are the outcome of his own investigation--and that we would do good to not believe him at face value. I think therein lies the true success of Loose Change. It's not so much that this movie proves anything beyond a shadow of a doubt, but, some of the more extreme theories aside, it absolutely presents a convincing array of evidence. Evidence that, at the very least, brings doubt to the official government report. I applaud Avery and crew for having the courage to put their necks on the line to make this film and get this info out to the public. And I strongly hope that the attention it is receiving will help bolster this worthwhile and necessary debate.

Ratings:

Information: 9
Editing: 8
Audio/Video: 9

Overall (not an average): 9.0

~Khyron, 2007

Review: Battlestar Galactica - Crossroads pt 1 & 2
Written by Michael Taylor

In the years to come, if Battlestar Galactica is to be remembered for only one thing, let it be that it was the master of cliffhanger finales. First there was Boomer shooting Adama...I'm still not over that shocker. Then there was of course the Pegasus stand-off in the middle of season 2. That was pretty intense. Finally, last season saw the outrageously risky 'one year later' twist and the occupation of New Caprica.

As is clearly evident, creators David Eick and Ronald D. Moore are not at all afraid of taking chances when it comes to telling their story. So then, "how does the finale to season 3 compare to the rest?" you might ask. Well, it was certainly...different.

In episodes 319 and 320, Crossroads part 1 and 2, the trial of Gaius Baltar (James Callis) finally comes to fruition. As Romo Lampkin (Guest star Mark Sheppard) and Mr. Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) defend the highly-hated ex-president in court, the Colonial Fleet approaches ever closer to the Ionian Nebula--the next stop on the way to Earth. However, after they begin hearing a Bob Dylan song in their head (yes, you read that right), four prominent characters discover that they may in fact be Cylons.

Before I get to the final sequences leading up to the cliffhanger, I'm going to first cover the events of Gaius' trial. Ever since humanity left the hell-hole that was New Caprica, the show has been gradually building up to this event. For a while, it seemed it would never come, but now that it's all over, I must say that it certainly did not disappoint. Apollo as a lawyer was a great change of pace for the character, and Bamber performed in the role exceptionally. His finale monologue when questioned on the stand put all of those other Law and Order type shows to shame. It was an impressive feat for a science fiction show with a name like Battlestar Galactica to deliver such a powerful piece of court-room drama, to be sure. I laughed, I cried, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

A great deal of this success must also be credited to Mark Sheppard as the larger than life Romo Lampkin. Everything about this character--from his demeanor all the way down to his name--just doesn't seem like it should work even half as well as it does. He's just so unusual that you can't help but be entertained. It's a real shame that he just walked off into obscurity after the trial. I reckon there wouldn't be much for him to do on the show, but I hate to say goodbye to such an interesting character.

Alright then, now that Gaius is off the hook (and apparently well on his way into becoming some kind of a Jesus figure), let's move on to the finale. In the hours following the conclusion, I started to think how many episodes of Star Trek had the guts to end with a surreal montage set to Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. The answer is, of course, none.

This was as perfect an example of a love-it, hate-it type finale as I have ever seen. Following up the dramatic realism of the trial, the finale was a complete turnaround. The strangeness of using the Dylan song aside, the other big development is the revelation of possibly four of the final five Cylon models. And wow, what an odd bunch of characters to be robots. Most shocking among them, I would never have suspected that the hard as nails Colonel Tigh was a toaster.

It's a rare treat whenever a television show has the courage to take a chance and really change the dynamic of the show. Battlestar's creators proved they were willing to do so with the season 2 close, but I'd say the risk bar has been raised up another notch with Crossroads. I wouldn't be surprised if the strangeness (that bordered on silliness) of the finale will alienate some fans, but for the rest, this only strengthens the belief that Battlestar Galactica is the pinnacle of a new age of science fiction television.

And the return of Starbuck?!? Can't wait to see what Moore and crew have in store for us in season 4.

Rating: 10/10

The K-Files - 03.21.07

When it comes to new movies that I want to go see, I try to do my research on its background and plot summary beforehand. So, in preparation for David Fincher's latest crime drama/thriller, Zodiac, I busted out the ever trusty Wikipedia to bone up on the case of the Zodiac Killer. But at the risk of sounding dumb, I think that I should admit that I had never heard of the Zodiac Killer until now. I suppose the case was more than a little before my time, but I can't help but feel left out of this tremendously interesting bit of Americana.

So you can only imagine my excitement after reading on the Coast to Coast AM schedule that the Zodiac Killer would be the topic of Monday, March 19th's episode. I was even more excited when, at the start of the show, host George Noory announced that it would in fact be one of his patented 'roundtable discussion' episodes. Though as I sat through the top of the hour newsbreak before the interview, I began to wonder why now, some 3 weeks after Zodiac's release, George would do a show on the subject.

Before long, I had my answer.

Full Article.

Because it would be a shame to review the Battlestar Galactica finale part 1 of 2 without considering its partner, the full review of both episodes will appear next week.

~Khyron

Review: Visitors: California UFO Wave

Something strange, it seems, was going on in the Venice and Sonora, California regions in the late spring/early summer months of 2004. Unexpectedly, in this relatively short amount of time, several eyewitnesses have reported seeing several types of UFO craft hovering in both the day and nighttime skies. And, most importantly, they also caught it all on video tape. UFOlogist and documentary filmmaker David Sereda, who would go on to interview Dan Aykroyd in the 2005 'Unplugged' documentary, collected this video evidence and interviewed the parties involved. The end product being a sort of home movie about what can only be explained as a wave of UFO sightings.

Full Review.

Review: Battlestar Galactica - The Son Also Rises
Written by Michael Angeli

Starbuck is dead!? How will we ever manage? Apparently pretty well. After sitting through the first episode without Starbuck, I've realized how little the character meant to me. I don't want to sound like a total jerk--Katee Sackhoff is a good actress and certainly added some flair to the show--but I for one will not be losing any sleep any time soon. Especially with Gaius Baltar's trial about to commence.

In episode 318, The Son Also Rises, Gaius Baltar's lawyer is assassinated by a terrorist bombing. In his place, the President assigns Romo Lampkin (Mark Sheppard) to represent "the most hated man in the fleet." Tasked with protecting Lampkin, Lee (Jaime Bamber) begins to grow increasingly interested in the practice of Colonial law.

This was a weird episode last week. A science fiction show only because of the setting, I thought I was watching Boston Legal in space at times. Even the larger than life Romo Lampkin seemed like a character out of a David E. Kelly drama. Risky? For sure. But I'd say that this is probably one of the most memorable episodes of season 3 in my mind.

At the core of The Son Also Rises' success is guest star Mark Sheppard. I don't know where he came from, but he delivered such a powerhouse performance in this episode that I was caught totally off guard. The way he and Bamber worked off one another was classic. These scenes were easily some of the best written and edited scenes of dialog in recent memory.

Also of note in this episode was the inclusion of Anders. I had feared that with the booting of Starbuck, the Anders character would be dragged along with her. But it seems now that he and Apollo will at least be coming to some kind of an agreement on the death of the woman they both loved. I would certainly not be surprised if Anders signed up for Viper or marine training in season 4. Get a uniform on that old boy.

Rating: 9 / 10 "Is that a cat?"

Review: 300 - Directed by Zack Snyder
Rated R for graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity.

In the world of graphic novels, few are as revered or critically acclaimed as Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's 300. Epic, beautiful, and brutal, it's 88 pages of pure machismo drenched in blood and sweat and presented in the larger than life boldness of sickly earth-tones and deep crimson. Where it counts, director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead remake) translates this unique look to his big screen adaptation of Frank Miller's masterpiece. However, as is often the case with comic to movie attempts, some things work best only on paper.

In 300, Spartan King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) leads (surprise) 300 of his finest warriors into battle against the vast Persian armies of King Xerxes. Outnumbered beyond reason, Leonidas chooses to make his stand at the 'Hot Gates', a twisted mountain path facing the sea where the vastness of the Persian army will be of no use. Meanwhile, on the home front, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) struggles with the corrupt and complacent Greek senate to send reinforcements to aid in the King's battle.

What I enjoyed so greatly about Frank Miller's 300 graphic novel was the relentless pacing of the story. Fairly short by graphic novel standards, there was nary a page that went by without stunning imagery of violent combat. The focus was placed firmly on the heroism and intractability of Leonidas and his men, with brief flashbacks filling in the less important buildup to the battle. But although the battle sequences in the 300 film were an almost frame-per-frame copy of the graphic novel, the movie as a whole takes on a different feel than its source.

Quite unlike the fierce compactness of the novel, more than a few parts of Snyder's 300 felt like unwarranted filler. Don't get me wrong, the primary focus is still on Spartan bravery in gloriously gory clashes, but the added story of Queen Gorgo and Theron seemed tacked on. Breaking up the pace of the action, these scenes do little but increase 300's runtime.

Although much of the acting in 300 involved little else then looking beefy and being able to recite your lines whilst shouting, Gerard Butler and crew do an admirable job humanizing the godlike Spartan warriors. Likewise, Rodrigo Santoro's portrayal of King Xerxes is, at the very least, unsettling.

Overly dramatic and unnecessarily deep at times, 300 is still the story of one of the most epic battles in human history. And with chopped limbs, spilled blood, and a total disregard for realism, by God it's a story well told. With ear-shatteringly powerful sound effects and dazzling visual flair, 300 is guaranteed to blow you to the back of your seat. This is one movie that you will not soon forget.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Review: Zodiac - Directed by David Fincher
Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images.

Movies are a lot like pastries sometimes. Some are like cookies--mostly soft filler with bits of sweetness sprinkled throughout. But then there are those fancy cake movies, layered in all kinds of frostings and intricate designs. You may not be in mood for something so rich and elaborate all of the time, but in the right occasion, there's really no beating it. Zodiac is definitely one of these kinds of films.

In Zodiac, cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) grows increasingly obsessed with the case of The Zodiac--an unorthodox serial killer that alluded the police for several decades. With suspects galore and conflicting evidence, the investigators--after devoting much of their lives to the case without success--soon learn that a serial killer can ruin your life without actually killing you.

This movie is thick. With layer upon layer of characters, locales, and twists, there is certainly plenty to keep you interested in the elaborate plot. Clocked in at nearly 3 hours, it in fact feels closer to double that. And therein lies both Zodiac's greatest strength and its most glaring weakness. There's nothing better than a great movie that is also quite long, but also nothing worse than a long movie that you aren't in the mood for.

The key to enjoying Zodiac is first making sure that this is in fact the kind of movie you want to see. One of those movies that is almost impossible to promote, its a combination of drama, suspense, horror, comedy, and mystery. But at its core, Zodiac is a dialog-heavy thinkin' kinda movie. So keep that in mind before buying those tickets. And I recommend not getting anything to drink, as you don't want to risk getting up and miss vital plot developments.

But if you do decide to take the plunge and sink your teeth into Zodiac, you will not be disappointed. Although its anti-climactic ending may not be for everyone, the excellent performances by Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo are simply a joy to watch. And being able to keep up with the gripping and fast-moving narrative is certainly rewarding.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Review: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon

Of all the conspiracy theories to subscribe to, few will destroy your reputation and credibility faster than the moon landing hoax. Even heavily criticized esoteric theorists like Richard C. Hoagland--despite having made a career of trying to expose NASA conspiracy--refuse to believe that we faked the Moon landing. But not so for documentary filmmaker Bart Sibrel. Sibrel laid it all on the line in his first of two films, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon.

Although I admit that I am by no means an expert when it comes to this subject, and thus may not have been able to spot inaccuracies in Sibrel's data as other, more qualified, viewers have, I must say that after viewing this film, my mind is now more open to the prospect of the Moon landing hoax theory.

Full Review.

***Spoiler Alert - Due to the nature of this episode, it'd be impossible to review it without spoiling the ending. You've been warned. ***


Review: Battlestar Galactica - Maelstrom
Written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle

A Battlestar Galactica without a Starbuck? How ever will we manage...? I guess we have no choice but to just find out.

In episode 317, Maelstrom, Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) finds herself facing some deep emotional problems. After a series of nightmares about everything from her traumatic childhood to her imprisonment on New Caprica, she imagines a Cylon raider in the skies above of a planet the fleet it using to refuel. Chasing after it, she hits the hard-deck and, unable to pull up, is crushed by atmospheric pressure.

I have to admit that I kind of saw this coming. Unfortunately, the behind the scenes politics of a show often get reported to media outlets, so rumors of Katee Sackhoff's intentions to leave the show have been floating around for a few months now. But still, the name 'Starbuck' itself is such a big part of Battlestar Galactica that to kill her off is certainly a big deal. So although her death didn't compare to the shock of Adama getting shot on the season 1 finale, that's not to say that this fan wasn't moved by her passing.

It's a shame that it took this long to get a dedicated backstory episode for Starbuck. I've always wondered why she was always such a bitch to everyone, but now that we know it was because her Mom was a total slave driver, there is really no use to it because she's dead. Though I guess the futility of it all works on an emotional level.

But most importantly, Starbuck's demise is also a blessing in disguise. I'd say this pretty much puts and end to the love-triangle storyline that has been stinking up the second part of season 3. Hopefully now we can get back to dramatic fleet engagements, finding Earth, and Gaius Baltar's frakking trial.

Though I'm wondering what will happen to Anders now that he's not tied down Starbuck anymore. The character has really come into his own as of late, so I for one would be glad to see him stick around. I guess time shall tell.

Although it may not have been very surprising, the death of Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace was nonetheless an important event for the future of Battlestar Galactica. Joining the likes of Tasha Yar and Mr. X, Starbuck is now on the list of sci-fi characters killed off. But now let's just wait and see if she pulls a Daniel Jackson...

Rating: 9 / 10 "I'm not afraid anymore."

~Khyron, 2007