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Talking Biotech Podcast

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Podcast

The modern technologies in medicinal and agricultural biotechnology are powerful tools that can...

Hancock's Half Hour: Ten Episodes of the Classic BBC Radio Comedy Series: Series 3

Full Cast, Alan Simpson, Sid James and Ray Galton

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Book

Tony Hancock stars with Sid James and Kenneth Williams in the legendary BBC Radio comedy series....

Jennifer Fox recommended Shoplifters (Manbiki Kazuko) (2018) in Movies (curated)

"“Shoplifters” is not a traditional narrative by any means. It is more an “observational” fiction film, in the same way we call certain documentaries ‘observational’. Each character has a trajectory that is followed, but until the very end, when there is a sudden dramatic change that unravels their fragile ties, there is little conflict between them. Instead we are let to enjoy this extraordinary meditation on what is the true meaning of family and love. Each character is drawn so precisely and yet we come to understand that they are a random family, or a chosen family, or a shoplifted family. When their fabric is finally torn apart, we know that their blood families and their future families will be so much less than what they created before. The film is full of beautiful metaphors, not the least, the insistence that food be part of nearly every scene. The importance of food as nourishment and love and pleasure is shown in glorious ways, least of all a wet, sticky scene in the middle of summer where two of the characters slurp down cold noodles only to end up in a long forgotten sexual embrace."

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Antelope Conservation: From Diagnosis to Action

Jakob Bro-Jorgensen and David P. Mallon

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Book

Antelopes constitute a fundamental part of ecosystems throughout Africa and Asia where they act as...

Qello Concerts

Music and Entertainment

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App

Qello Concerts lets you to turn any screen into a live concert video experience. Music lovers can...

Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated My Scientology Movie (2015) in Movies

Nov 5, 2017 (Updated Nov 5, 2017)

Hilarious and mostly frightening

Louis Theroux returns in this feature documentary film about probably one of the most controversial subjects out there - Scientology - mostly because of its secretive and yet obtrusive nature in to those who try and question it. It's about 25 per cent hysterically funny and 75 per cent just plain terrifying.

After the Church of Scientology refuses to cooperate in making a documentary, Theroux teams up with former senior church official Mark Rathbun to create dramatic reconstructions of incidents within the church witnessed by Rathbun and other ex-Scientologists. They focus in particular on alleged violent behaviour by the church's leader David Miscavige at its secretive Gold Base facility in California, which Theroux visits.

From being followed almost immediately at the start of filming, to being issued letters from lawyers of the Church of Scientology - their reputation precedes them. There is a sense of unease throughout, and even paranoia / claustrophobia. Theroux also raises questions about Rathbun's own former complicity in the church's "terroristic" activities, leading to tensions between the two. While it doesn't reveal as much as some documentaries, it's entertaining and reiterates everything Scientology seeks to distance itself from - being seen as a cult. Great watch.

Kudos

Sarah (7798 KP) rated Blackfish (2013) in Movies

Nov 6, 2017 (Updated Nov 6, 2017)

Blackfish (2013)

2013 | Documentary

8.5

(20 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Harrowing and thought provoking

For anyone who's grown up watching films like Free Willy, or visited any of the Seaworld parks, this documentary is going to be a cruel but necessary eye opener.

For me, I've been to Seaworld in Florida numerous times when I was younger and have seen Tilikum in the flesh, and although this documentary pretty much ruins my childhood memories, I'm actually glad in a way that I'm no longer in the dark. It's a tough watch, but very informative with gripping video footage and interviews with ex Seaworld employees. It also really illustrates the whales temperaments and intellectual and emotional capacity, which just further pushes the point the documentary is trying to make. Yes as with most documentaries, its fairly one-sided. But that doesn't mean it's wrong.

Seaworld have called this documentary propaganda, but having visited Seaworld again just over a month ago (after having seen this), it's the nonsense they're showing at the parks that's the propaganda, not this. It can't have done any damage to the parks, as they were still full of people who were obviously ignorant to this documentary. I just wish they'd all watch this before being taken in by the propaganda pushed by the company.