journal features

movie review - Land of the Lost

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2017.11.09

This is a crass and awkward retelling of a classic sci-fi/fantasy story in which people find a lost world of dinosaurs and lizardfolk under the Earth's surface. The tone is decidedly self-mocking satire and the actors seem to be having the time of their lives. While told in a linear fashion, it tends to veer and jump around quite a bit but given the insane and immature dialog that's just fine.

I have to say, I enjoyed this. It's infectious.

Recommended. I think the crowd on imdb.com's ratings missed the point on this one.

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force