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Lenard (726 KP) rated Mank (2020) in Movies
Dec 6, 2020
David Fincher has spent two decades working to adapt his father's screenplay about Herman Mankiewicz. He succeeded in a major triumph. Gary Oldman plays the alcoholic washed up screenwriter hired by New York wunderkind Orson Welles to write the first draft of the screenplay for his first film. The resulting film, Citizen Kane, would change moviemaking for generations even if the battle to get it made, released, and seen lasted two industry cycles.
Mank is a wonder to behold technically. The production design, editing, and cinematography takes you back to an earlier Hollywood era. Its use of flashback, mirroring Kane, fills in the blank as to how Mank was in this world and why he was willing to burn it. The movie even foreshadows events that would.shape the screenplay Mank is writing.
My greatest pleasure was how its relevance continues today, but without the explicit shoutouts or manipulation of events. Do you know the parable of the organ grinder's monkey? If you don't, Mank tells you, but never exposes the reason it resonates. Also, even if you have seen other works about WRH, you still learn more about him. Mank is great and will get many Oscar nominations. Amanda Seyfried gives Marion Davies the star turn she never had in life.
Mank is a wonder to behold technically. The production design, editing, and cinematography takes you back to an earlier Hollywood era. Its use of flashback, mirroring Kane, fills in the blank as to how Mank was in this world and why he was willing to burn it. The movie even foreshadows events that would.shape the screenplay Mank is writing.
My greatest pleasure was how its relevance continues today, but without the explicit shoutouts or manipulation of events. Do you know the parable of the organ grinder's monkey? If you don't, Mank tells you, but never exposes the reason it resonates. Also, even if you have seen other works about WRH, you still learn more about him. Mank is great and will get many Oscar nominations. Amanda Seyfried gives Marion Davies the star turn she never had in life.
Merissa (13176 KP) rated Forged Redemption (Tribal Spirits #5) in Books
Oct 1, 2019
Forged Redemption is the fifth and final book in the Tribal Spirits series, and we finally get Drew's story. Drew and Ally were a couple way back when, before they even really knew about mates. As such, they were together, they broke up, rinse and repeat. These two somehow find the time to sew their relationship back together, through distrust and mortal peril! As well as that, the ultimate battle is drawing to a close, and no one knows who will live to see the outcome.
As with all of Katherine McIntyre books, this was an absolute winner! The writing is tight with no unnecessary parts. Everything is there for a reason! The relationship between Ally and Drew is sensitively written considering their pasts. There are steamy moments that add to the story, definitely not distracting from the arc storyline.
I am sad to see this series come to an end, but at the same time, I am excited to see what Ms. McIntyre will bring next. I highly recommend both this finale and the whole series!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
As with all of Katherine McIntyre books, this was an absolute winner! The writing is tight with no unnecessary parts. Everything is there for a reason! The relationship between Ally and Drew is sensitively written considering their pasts. There are steamy moments that add to the story, definitely not distracting from the arc storyline.
I am sad to see this series come to an end, but at the same time, I am excited to see what Ms. McIntyre will bring next. I highly recommend both this finale and the whole series!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Awix (3310 KP) rated Jason and the Argonauts (1963) in Movies
Oct 5, 2019 (Updated Oct 5, 2019)
Corny but much-loved mythological fantasy film. Jason and his men go in search of a magic sheepskin, occasionally with the aid of the gods but without the assistance of modern special effects. A strong, mostly British cast do the usual sterling work while imported stars Todd Armstrong and Nancy Kovack stand around being obviously dubbed.
The script is, to be honest, all over the place: it's episodic, the writers seem to have been making it up as they went (the most memorable character wanders out of the movie half way through), and Jason doesn't actually complete the mission he sets himself at the start (maybe they were hoping for a sequel). However, for a bad movie this has some of the most wonderful special effects ever put on celluloid, namely Ray Harryhausen's brilliant hand-crafted animation. Any amount of stodgy non-acting and dubious costume design would be a small price to pay for sequences like the ones with the bronze titan Talos, the Hydra, or the mob of skeletons at the end (the skeleton battle is such a breathtaking achievement it should really be playing on loop in art galleries around the world). They don't make them like this any more. Even the bad bits are kind of bad in a good way.
The script is, to be honest, all over the place: it's episodic, the writers seem to have been making it up as they went (the most memorable character wanders out of the movie half way through), and Jason doesn't actually complete the mission he sets himself at the start (maybe they were hoping for a sequel). However, for a bad movie this has some of the most wonderful special effects ever put on celluloid, namely Ray Harryhausen's brilliant hand-crafted animation. Any amount of stodgy non-acting and dubious costume design would be a small price to pay for sequences like the ones with the bronze titan Talos, the Hydra, or the mob of skeletons at the end (the skeleton battle is such a breathtaking achievement it should really be playing on loop in art galleries around the world). They don't make them like this any more. Even the bad bits are kind of bad in a good way.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Man of Steel (2013) in Movies
Aug 29, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)
At the time of it's release, I was absolutely buzzing for Man of Steel. One of the most iconic comic book characters of all time, being overseen by the man who directed 300 and Watchmen (I've even got a huge soft spot for Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead).
This first entry into the DCEU was a pretty enjoyable spectacle for the most part, and as it stands, is my personal highpoint of the up and down franchise.
The first half carries a more serious tone, as we're given the most brooding Superman to date. I actually enjoyed watching Clark Kent go about his life, and don't find it as boring as a lot of people.
The second half is pretty much all action. I'll start off here by saying that the CGI and effects used in MoS are pretty solid - definitely better than any of the DC movies that have followed.
It's an absolute spectacle for sure, although the climatic battle does tread dangerously close to Transformers levels of dumb destruction.
It just about gets away with it though, and tops off a gorgeous looking movie nicely.
Not too bad at all, it's a damn shame the quality didn't stick. (Fingers crossed for Joker though!)
This first entry into the DCEU was a pretty enjoyable spectacle for the most part, and as it stands, is my personal highpoint of the up and down franchise.
The first half carries a more serious tone, as we're given the most brooding Superman to date. I actually enjoyed watching Clark Kent go about his life, and don't find it as boring as a lot of people.
The second half is pretty much all action. I'll start off here by saying that the CGI and effects used in MoS are pretty solid - definitely better than any of the DC movies that have followed.
It's an absolute spectacle for sure, although the climatic battle does tread dangerously close to Transformers levels of dumb destruction.
It just about gets away with it though, and tops off a gorgeous looking movie nicely.
Not too bad at all, it's a damn shame the quality didn't stick. (Fingers crossed for Joker though!)
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