Gary Geiserman
Boston Public Library
Gary Geiserman's Completed Shelf
Filter your results by...
Format
Roman J. Israel, EsqRoman J. Israel, Esq, DVD
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jun 28, 2022
HopscotchHopscotch, DVD
DVD - 2002DVD, 2002
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jun 28, 2022
Comment:
“Ipcress File” is the film. ——— can only imagine the Hollywood shenanigans that gone on here. Matthau wasted, caught between genres; but not even—not a thriller and definitely not a comedy. Like that old ploy of making a barely mediocre show “children’s programming”. ——— genre is meme/virus“Ipcress File” is the film. ——— can only imagine the Hollywood shenanigans that gone on here. Matthau wasted, caught between genres; but not even—not a thriller and definitely not a comedy. Like that old ploy of making a barely mediocre show…
Spinning ManSpinning Man, DVD
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jun 28, 2022
Comment:
CLICHE (Is this word a cliche?) and the ‘philosophy’ isn’t even as twisted as philosophy (academic, that is) ——— ouch -------- Guy Pierce is just not a good actor (although "Memento" is a masterpiece; he plays himself--first time the best time) ------- Pierce Brosnan not a great deal better...CLICHE (Is this word a cliche?) and the ‘philosophy’ isn’t even as twisted as philosophy (academic, that is) ——— ouch -------- Guy Pierce is just not a good actor (although "Memento" is a masterpiece; he plays himself--first time the best time) …
Mr. MercedesMr. Mercedes, DVDSeason One
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jun 28, 2022
Comment:
Brendan Gleeson as the lead is beautiful. Show is unfortunately mired in the teen angst genre (genre-bleed). Marketing confusion. (from Stephen King’s story and he’s a producer). These don’t mix, vice-presidents! Separate the two shows. Unless trying to combine them was the corporate “genius”. Also, the teen plot is in stasis. (Don’t fool with death, arrested-development adolescents…) —————— Brendan Gleeson makes this a tough call. and his people are interesting. Stephen King stinks.Brendan Gleeson as the lead is beautiful. Show is unfortunately mired in the teen angst genre (genre-bleed). Marketing confusion. (from Stephen King’s story and he’s a producer). These don’t mix, vice-presidents! Separate the two shows. Unless…
Steve JobsSteve Jobs, DVDThe Man in the Machine
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Sep 25, 2017
Comment:
Alex Gibney thinks he’s on the trail of a criminal like in his Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer documentary! Sheesh! The ‘debate’ between pcs and mac computers has been going on for decades… If you don’t know what jazz is I can’t explain it to you. To indict Steve for being a bad person sorta kinda misses the POINT, do you think? <<<<< It’s not even about Steve or Apple or products—can you possibly get how the vision changed so many industries? Even more pertinent is HOW he changed so much of the world-view. (Changing the music industry alone was magical!) Pretty much all of the rest of IT was business-as-usual and wouldn’t have changed things nearly as much or as beautifully. >>>>> it takes like minded people to get it and Alex Gibney is just pedestrian, however excellent a documentarian he is. (Jobs was just about to change tv, but, alas…) >>>>> lots of nice video etc, and good to know Steve ate eel in Japan, but completely misses the point.Alex Gibney thinks he’s on the trail of a criminal like in his Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer documentary! Sheesh! The ‘debate’ between pcs and mac computers has been going on for decades… If you don’t know what jazz is I can’t explain…
VeepVeep, DVDThe Complete Third Season
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 23, 2016
The End of the TourThe End of the Tour, DVD
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 23, 2016
Comment:
Absolutely no script. Didn’t anyone notice? Nothing here folks, go on home. Two random people say more interesting things anywhere. >>> I couldn’t get past the middle of page 2 of the book. Wished I had as much character and discipline with the movie. [Waste of good director, Ponsoldt, and the always excellent Danny Elfman music]Absolutely no script. Didn’t anyone notice? Nothing here folks, go on home. Two random people say more interesting things anywhere. >>> I couldn’t get past the middle of page 2 of the book. Wished I had as much character and discipline with the…
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 23, 2016
Comment:
[see book, “Lansky” by Hank Messick for a much better account] Awful awful… Can’t we get these Brits finally off our ass? That war never ended, it just went into ‘turn-around’ (Hollywood being just about America’s only freely running entity). >>> This Robert Lacey ruling class goon thinks HE is gonna get the skinny on the HIDDEN part of the underworld! He uses the sop of an academic—the authorities (FBI, police, court docs etc) and any anecdotal junk he can expense account. >>> Relishes any failure/tragedy Lansky had or may have had. >>> Lots of details, lots of ‘paper research’ and interviews of any one living who will talk (only family and those who don’t know anything about the real business). Interpretations are twisted. >>> What Lacey can’t seem to get is the fact that ALL of the information about Lansky points to ONE thing: he operates like a spy (a double or triple, or MORE)! He is juggling intel against every agency except himself. He did 3 months in a minor lock up early on (his only jail time) because if he had testified (and easily gotten off) he would have possibly compromised various Italians/others. He was always building and protecting the so called National Crime Syndicate—criminal or legally borderline arrangements mostly involving gambling and its gestalt (now mostly legal corporate activity). All his partnerships were to knit together allegiances. Violence was always the last resort. (American foreign policy—except the extreme greed for war $ has us abusing this) It’s actually almost impossible to KNOW much about Lansky beside the obvious—he ruled the Syndicate and made enormous amounts of money. His office was in his head, his word was gold, his casinos were honest, and if you were his business partner you could trust him and you would make money. Lacey couldn’t understand this. Very few people do. What very few know was Meyer Lanky’s game. The Mossad has people just like Lansky running it. The press and academia has people like Robert Lacey working for it.[see book, “Lansky” by Hank Messick for a much better account] Awful awful… Can’t we get these Brits finally off our ass? That war never ended, it just went into ‘turn-around’ (Hollywood being just about America’s only freely running entity).…
True DetectiveTrue Detective, DVDThe Complete Second Season
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 15, 2016
Comment:
Tried too hard for that gritty LA dirty cool. Got too faux-intricate. Faux-gritty dirty LA decadence took over the plot. <<< Porn gets you off. Why can’t more video do that?
Bridge of SpiesBridge of Spies, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
More Disney virus hitting the film colony…. A stand up story of a stand up guy. Where’s the creativity? the verve? (the tendency in H-wood is for craft—crews are so mature now you really have to push and claw to AVOID cliches. These films can direct themselves. Everybody’s doin’ it. >>> Hanks is good but he’s a brand now. His character should have been pushed more. The world’s what you pay attention to, but it’s also ALIVE. The Hollywood happy ending now runs from the beginning.More Disney virus hitting the film colony…. A stand up story of a stand up guy. Where’s the creativity? the verve? (the tendency in H-wood is for craft—crews are so mature now you really have to push and claw to AVOID cliches. These films can…
SpotlightSpotlight, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
Nice fun flic; actually nicely boring. Suffers from portraying the true story in a ’truelike’ way (becoming a minor epidemic these days, why?). >>> Some of why is the hollywood hubris of doing a thing; anything. Corners of the guilt-coated quasi mind. People stepping in empty buckets…. Watch it! >>> Ruins this movie. Shouldn’t have won Oscar, duh. <<< Did good though; a Jewish editor shoved it to the Catholic corporation-cult (worth billions? trillions? yeah trillions). >>> Let’s go re-watch “All The President’s Men” for the 12th time (also a true story)Nice fun flic; actually nicely boring. Suffers from portraying the true story in a ’truelike’ way (becoming a minor epidemic these days, why?). >>> Some of why is the hollywood hubris of doing a thing; anything. Corners of the guilt-coated quasi…
Best of EnemiesBest of Enemies, DVD
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
As much fun as this is it’s the very least of both of these cats. Better would be OTHER stuff by either or both. >>>> Youtube et al….. Buckley is actually a tragic figure; a few twisted beliefs early on strangled a ‘philosopher’s mind’. He was a beautiful nullifying mess; mesmerizing. >>> Vidal is a very rare example of a ‘liberal’ who naturally went left and became a radical. Truth sayer!As much fun as this is it’s the very least of both of these cats. Better would be OTHER stuff by either or both. >>>> Youtube et al….. Buckley is actually a tragic figure; a few twisted beliefs early on strangled a ‘philosopher’s mind’. He was a…
TrumboTrumbo, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
“I am Dalton Trumbo.” >>> The documentary “Trumbo” 2009 by son Christopher Trumbo fills in details and various writing. It also gives a more serious tone than this ‘Hollywood’ candy. Cranston’s stellar performance was actually misleading; no mention, for example, of 2 years in Mexico where the real impact was driven home. This was no Woody Allen, “The Front” romp. >>> Millions today ‘name names’.“I am Dalton Trumbo.” >>> The documentary “Trumbo” 2009 by son Christopher Trumbo fills in details and various writing. It also gives a more serious tone than this ‘Hollywood’ candy. Cranston’s stellar performance was actually misleading; no…
ComplianceCompliance, DVD
DVD - 2013DVD, 2013
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
Was forced out of my ‘theater’ at home (pretended to walk out). One-trick pony times a lot. Waste of Ann Dowd and Pat Healy who are good actors. >>> This domination/exploitation by each other is our ‘Matrix’ reality; I think the film maker thought this truthness would carry a film by itself. Maybe he could have Warhol-ed US with a brilliant conception, but, no….. >>> some may have watched the whole movie because that’s what you do with a movieWas forced out of my ‘theater’ at home (pretended to walk out). One-trick pony times a lot. Waste of Ann Dowd and Pat Healy who are good actors. >>> This domination/exploitation by each other is our ‘Matrix’ reality; I think the film maker thought…
The MartianThe Martian, DVD
DVD - 2016DVD, 2016
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
Matt Damon is a white Denzel Washington; excellent in everything he does. >>> I didn't appreciate the ‘science cult’ this film is. A Disney-TED expo. Eventually many will come to see science as the fraud religion is. (lengths were taken to NOT have any awe other than the test tube kind), this ‘disney thing’ actually weakens the pic. >>> “Use science, don’t let it use you.”Matt Damon is a white Denzel Washington; excellent in everything he does. >>> I didn't appreciate the ‘science cult’ this film is. A Disney-TED expo. Eventually many will come to see science as the fraud religion is. (lengths were taken to NOT have…
The KillingThe Killing, DVDThe Complete Fourth Season
DVDDVD
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added May 14, 2016
Comment:
What it’s about! What it always was about. >>> Another Scandinavian show, it’s deadly serious there. Like “The Bridge” (“Bron” Swedish version). Nice job. The best use of a police interrogation room ever. And that’s saying something. Really happy this one was picked up by Netflix for this final season.What it’s about! What it always was about. >>> Another Scandinavian show, it’s deadly serious there. Like “The Bridge” (“Bron” Swedish version). Nice job. The best use of a police interrogation room ever. And that’s saying something. Really happy…
The Walking DeadThe Walking Dead, UnknownSeason 5
Unknown - 2015Unknown, 2015
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Feb 24, 2016
Comment:
Great great season! Like “Breaking Bad” these guys keep on writing. No jumping sharks here. The community they go to is a brilliant counter point to the Governor’s a few seasons back. Where as that one was a play on the Tea Party faux populists, this one is Liberals. “They’re children, tell them stories”. While this is a criticism of people rather than their ideas (a common error), the fact those who need enemies to fight (masculine domination) feel uncomfortable with the idea of peace is telling. >>>> So many creative ideas played out by these writers, it’s inspiring. And, of course, the fx are sooo good. Kudos to all these cats! Plus, the fact that the survivors are more specialized, eg, cannibals, murderers shows how ALIVE the writers are.Great great season! Like “Breaking Bad” these guys keep on writing. No jumping sharks here. The community they go to is a brilliant counter point to the Governor’s a few seasons back. Where as that one was a play on the Tea Party faux populists,…
Legacy of AshesLegacy of Ashes, UnknownThe History of the CIA
by Weiner, TimUnknown - 2008Unknown, 2008
Added Oct 01, 2015
Comment:
One descriptor of the difference between a liberal and a truth-seeker, aka leftist, radical, free thinker is a liberal believes in his/her parents and thus society. A liberal believes in the masculine structure of quantification (academia) to lead us to a better way. A free thinker has separated from parents (become an adult) and can perceive without filters. No longer blindly in support of the gestalt of a system and all it’s institutional tentacles one can actually be courageous no matter where it leads. Frequently free thinkers are set basically adrift from both parents at an early age and can have extra motivation to the courageous. >>>>> We see Liberals pulled left all the time—rarely do they completely break free. If Bernie Sanders was actually a free thinker e.g., he would say why the 1% got that way, why war is good for business etc. Our system (a la “The Matrix”) is imbalanced to the masculine principle to foster domination/be dominated, exploit/be exploited. Any actions to dominate is amplified. Special interests have created structures, laws that favor domination. Governments, psychologies all support this. Science and religion are the building blocks of this ‘matrix’. The only force for love and justice is humans who struggle within this system. >>>>> Corporations pay no taxes (they have monetized this and make money from tax credits), war is tax money paid to corporate contractors, capitalism (‘owning’) is theft in the name of human endeavor (employment for commercial gain should be illegal), religion is personal psychological entrapment for political gain, science (empiricism) kills creativity and spirituality and imprisons us in the world’s largest cult, et al et al. >>>>> This toxic system isn’t why we have domination in our selves, our world, however, merely a reflection of our personal microcosm, a jumping-off point. Personal spiritual change is available. All is illusion; the only thing real is our thoughts/feelings and other more real parts of our selves. Change these and the world one lives in will change. Let’s not be truth-seekers in only a few areas of life; if politics is a lie so is ‘our’ world.One descriptor of the difference between a liberal and a truth-seeker, aka leftist, radical, free thinker is a liberal believes in his/her parents and thus society. A liberal believes in the masculine structure of quantification (academia) to lead…
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Sep 05, 2015
Comment:
Good solid Coben; that involves dealing with the past problematically, as SOP. This one is a creative take on the remorse, or lack thereof. >>>>>> Very comfortable feel. A far fetched hook that drags on the action throughout, but Coben sort of pulls it off. King of the unrequited. In lesser hands this would have been a disaster.Good solid Coben; that involves dealing with the past problematically, as SOP. This one is a creative take on the remorse, or lack thereof. >>>>>> Very comfortable feel. A far fetched hook that drags on the action throughout, but Coben sort of pulls…
Left BehindLeft Behind, DVD
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
Added Aug 12, 2015
Comment:
Christian fascists made a decent movie. Somehow they got Nick Cage to do an expense account in Baton Rouge was it? The word rapture was never mentioned except in interviews in the extras. Never mentioned in the film. Is this because these dupes want to replace ‘others’ and don’t want us to know until it’s too late? Paul Lalonde and Tim LaHaye have done several of these films. >>>>> It’s real simple: please do not FORCE others to do what you want. Don’t dominate, exploit, or manipulate. No intentional hurting. We don’t need a rapture to get validation for our prejudices. You’ll never get validation. There is no such thing. >>>>> [Will I be replaced by a pod?]Christian fascists made a decent movie. Somehow they got Nick Cage to do an expense account in Baton Rouge was it? The word rapture was never mentioned except in interviews in the extras. Never mentioned in the film. Is this because these dupes want…
ChloeChloe, DVD
DVD - 2010DVD, 2010
Added Aug 12, 2015
Comment:
An erotica from Egoyan slipped inside a supposed psycho-thriller except the thriller never got going and died in utero (is that erotic?). Is something erotic if you don’t want to see it? If it isn’t happening to you? If you aren’t voyeuristic? If you aren’t French? I find thrillers erotic, do you? <<<<< [much of this movie happened in Atom’s head, a common affliction of those for whom thinking is faster than movement—so stay in harmony people]An erotica from Egoyan slipped inside a supposed psycho-thriller except the thriller never got going and died in utero (is that erotic?). Is something erotic if you don’t want to see it? If it isn’t happening to you? If you aren’t voyeuristic? If…
Added Aug 12, 2015
Comment:
Well written as always. First half turned out to be plodding; so the second half was very engaging. Huh? Oh well, an accomplished author/etc has a lot to do these days of wine and capitalism. >>>> Lawsuit anyone?
ParklandParkland, DVD
DVD - 2013DVD, 2013
Added Aug 12, 2015
Comment:
Interesting audio/video to talk about. I could say that as a piece of film-making it is very well done. And to keep an eye on Peter Landesman’s other work. While all that is true, here in an audio/video reality
‘making’ is not what it once might have been… >>>>> I’ve heard vr is coming back; why was it detained some capitalist where? >>><< Landesman is straight and a grassy knoll denier. How does this effect a cinema verte? (feels very off-putting knowing this propaganda roams the media range—of course, media and everything else is an illusion I don’t want to make too real for myself). >>>>> Very good video work, very exciting, nice guerrilla process, excellent editing. It’s propaganda. Leni what’s her name. So rare to get propaganda done by an artist. BETTER WATCH OUT! JEEZ…. Great subtle work catching nuances etc. IS EVERY SECOND OF FOOTAGE A LIE? Or are the lies juxtaposed and even bigger than the film entire (you know, gestalt and synergy). Or are the lies merely strewn throughout like ads in a podcast? >>>><< Little moron propaganda Republican Christian-fascist-style not. >><<>> I’m afraid of myself having watched this film. >>>> Is it so long after ’63 that it is open season for lying to youth? I saw a “Nova” recently on PBS (funded partly by the Koch Bros) totally debunking arguments saying Oswald couldn’t have fired 3 great shots. Posner had a book a ways back. ><><> Hey, I’d know if I killed myself who did it. At least.Interesting audio/video to talk about. I could say that as a piece of film-making it is very well done. And to keep an eye on Peter Landesman’s other work. While all that is true, here in an audio/video reality
‘making’ is not what it once might…
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jul 28, 2015
Comment:
Similar in feel to “Jellyfish”, the movie from Israel. >>>> Very very nice both story and artwork. Lots of rounded off corners with a ‘distasteful’ theme. Kind of Buddhistic (‘Jewbu’). Love stories need some buddhism.
The NewsroomThe Newsroom, DVDThe Complete Third Season
DVD - 2015DVD, 2015
Gary Geiserman's rating:
Added Jul 28, 2015
Comment:
3rd and final season. Alas, another Sorkin experience truncated. How is this happening? Maybe If Aaron was pushed by a strong personality and some other constraints he would channel his loves with different structures. West Wing had a lot of variety for him; he had a strong team over there with Wells (“Southland”) and Schlamme et al. So good in fact, the show never lost a beat after he left (and seasons 6 and 7 excelled outrageously). Or adapting other material a la “Social Network” is his delimiter. Or maybe he should do a Camelot with either lefty revolutionaries (what always should have been for him) or spiritual transcenders. Yeah, I think… ≥≥≥ Starts out gangbusters w/Boston Marathon, then leaks juice approaching the inevitable. Maybe Aaron needs a new kind of mushroom (or DEA man on his ass).3rd and final season. Alas, another Sorkin experience truncated. How is this happening? Maybe If Aaron was pushed by a strong personality and some other constraints he would channel his loves with different structures. West Wing had a lot of variety…
Comment: