Goldenarrow74

Solid Gold

Male

Northampton , United Kingdom

05. September

Joined: Feb 23, 2018

Former primary school teacher, mortgage adviser, professional wrestler and now dog-walker. Some might argue this shows an inability to focus. I’d respond with... erm... now what’s for dinner..?

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Red Dwarf Omnibus

Grant Naylor

8.5 (2 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Here are the first two novels of the cult series "Red Dwarf" in one volume - "Red Dwarf" and "Better...

Added: Jun 3, 2018, 2:50:42 AM

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Dec 7, 2020

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Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated My Scientology Movie (2015) in Movies

Jun 3, 2018

Revelations from former cult members. (0 more)

No balance - no current members participated (0 more)

Frustrating but still unashamedly Louis

Now this is a good one:
• Scientology fascinates/horrifies me in equal measure
• I love Louis Theroux’s work over the years, from pornstars to neo-nazis

So, if you add together one of the most unassuming yet tenacious investigative journalists and one of the most misunderstood religions and there’s bound to be sparks flying, right?

Well almost. I recall some comments about a Louis documentary where he kinda lost his usual cool and got wound up/ deterred by his would-be interviewees. Perhaps this could be the one.
Even if this is not the film in question, it’s certainly a little more subdued than his usual material. Because the church told him to sod off.
I guess his view that he wants to offer an unbiased and impartial view on their religion is not one shared by David Whatshisface. This is a shame as I’d loved to have seen LT probe the chief scientist with his softly, softly good cop/nicer cop style of interviewing.

It could well have been a titanic battle of intellect and wills. Almost on a parallel with Westley & Vizzini in the Princess Bride. But now we’ll never know.

Seriously, it’s sort of hobbled the film from the start if we don’t get to speak to anyone from the church, as all we are going to here from therefore are people who don’t know about what really happens or do know but have now come out from the protective umbrella of Scientology and are (quite reasonably) regarded as “embittered”.

Even Louis is being asked a lot to conjure something truly worthwhile with his only evidence coming from potentially biased sources.

It’s only at the hour mark that we even hear of the charitable causes the church supports, from drug abuse to disaster relief. And not long before that we even see a very limited glimpse of the drills, or ‘tech’ that forms part of the Scientologist’s belief system.
What makes me laugh, disappointedly, is that Louis is complaining that the lawyers are accusing him of dwelling on those embittered “squirrels”.... when that’s exactly what he has been doing, out of necessity as he has no other material.

I’m happy to give the benefit of the doubt to LT whenever possible but I think he dropped a bollock there.

I also wonder if the reason we are only given such a brief example of the dianetics system is that the Church’s powerful tentacles reach all the way to the Beeb? I’ve always though that Jeremy Paxman had a steely determination that came from more than just political vigour...

Or maybe it’s because Louis didn’t think it was important enough? Hardly. Maybe because Marty Rathbun got upset and stopped doing it (incidentally he is a crap teacher! Getting visibly disappointed when the student doesn’t immediately see/feel/get what you intend is not the way to help relax and convince someone).

It was slightly disappointing to not see Isaac Hayes who left South Park in a strop because they were planning an episode on Scientology - when he had no problem participating in storylines concerning paedophilia, terrorism, Satan & Saddam Hussein having sex etc..

I jest, of course. And that’s obviously a mistake as it’s abundantly clear that Scientologists have no sense of humour whatsoever. I’m going to be constantly scanning my rear view mirror for a large, clumsily driven Toyota 4x4 now. That won’t stand out at all in the small towns of rural Buckinghamshire will it?

Kudos

Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies

Jun 3, 2018

Deadpool (2016)

2016 | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi

8.7

(283 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Deadpool’s smart-arse one liners. And his fuckin’ bad language. The genuine pathos Wade is faced. 4th Wall smashing. (0 more)

Mr Pool’s flippancy could annoy some. Ditto on the creative insults. Might feel a little like paint by numbers. (0 more)

Freddy Krueger and a topographical map of Utah

My 11 year old son is so chuffed that im letting him see this - his friend has an older brother so often gets to see 15 certificates. But nobody has seen Deadpool yet in his circle so he’ll deffo get some Kudos of his own.

I know that the violence and swearing won’t offend/inspire/distress him to copy anything.
Unless he learns to reheal and shoot like Mr Pool.

Kudos

Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Red Dwarf Omnibus in Books

Jun 3, 2018

Red Dwarf Omnibus

Grant Naylor | 1992 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Similarity to tv show storylines. Far more detail & impossible storylines. (0 more)

Erm. It’s not 1000 pages..? (0 more)

Never fails

Having been a fan of the tv show as long as I can remember, I have read this, comprising Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers and Better Than Life, dozens and dozens of times - and can quote great chunks.
Lister is slobbier than ever.
Rimmer is even more of an irritating worm.

The universe, time, death and reality are all their playthings - and I can only begin to imagine what Lister’s isolation on those peculiar worlds would be like.

Kudos

Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Top Secret! (1984) in Movies

Jun 3, 2018

Silly visual gags. Val Kilmer’s babysoft skin. (0 more)

There are so many quick one liners and puns it’s easy to miss some. (0 more)

Indiana Jones meets James Bond meets Airplane

Having watched this many, many times in my youth, it was a bit of a delight to revisit this and still find myself thoroughly entertained.

Like Indiana Jones, meets James Bond, meets National Lampoon, meets Rocky Horror. Only this time its spies that are being spoofed.

In fact this viewing probably revealed more jokes that I wouldn’t have even fully understood before.

Daisy’s careful infiltration of the German stronghold was wonderfully ludicrous. With her welly-boots and polka dot hide, the guards stood no chance of spotting her as different to the rest of the herd.

One of the most memorable bar-room-brawls ever tales place towards the end between Nigel and Nick... under the surface of a lake.
Not only do we get treated to chairs smashed over heads we even get a glimpse of the Ali Shuffle, all fully submerged.

Kudos

Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Stigmata (1999) in Movies

Feb 26, 2018

Stigmata (1999)

1999 | Drama, Horror

6.8

(8 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Stunning cinematography, great cast, provocative themes (0 more)

Confusing ending, could offend some with strong religious beliefs (0 more)

Possession or testament to faith?

Visually impressive and thought provoking - although I left with several unanswered questions and a deeper distrust of ‘the church’

Kudos

Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Nudist Colony of the Dead (1991) in Movies

Feb 24, 2018

Nudist Colony of the Dead (1991)

1991 | Comedy, Horror, Musical

6.0

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

It doesn’t try to take itself seriously- good job too. The puerile names. (0 more)

Production values due to low budget. Acting ability questionable (0 more)

Ridiculous. Ridiculously silly. Ridiculously fun.

Ridiculous. Ridiculously funny, silly and blasphemous.

“Your children can’t praise the lord if they’ve got genitals in their mouths!” - Reverend Ritz
So much to snigger at here - notably the slightly-more-mature nudist Mrs Druple and her hazardous wrinkly swinging boobs.

There’s things to learn as well - whoever knew that devilled eggs came from possessed chickens?! Beware folks- evil lurks in the most unlikely of places.

“There’s a history of fornication in my family.” Fanny Wype
Actually, there are some deep theological questions raised here, such as, Why does this god guy get lost so much? Everyone is always trying to find him.