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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Spotlight (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Greetings & Salutations Fellow Movie Fanatics!
We’ve definitely got a serious drama film for you this time around. Not for the faint of heart but
one that discusses a serious controversy that shook the foundations of the Catholic community
not only in the city of Boston but also America and the rest of the world.
Directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent, The Visitor, Up, Win Win, Million Dollar Arm,
and The Cobbler) and co-written by McCarthy and Josh Singer (The West Wing, Law &
Order:SVU) ‘Spotlight’ follows the Boston Globe’s investigation and coverage of the
Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal which was brought to the public’s attention in early
2002 after nearly a year of investigation and research by the Boston Globe’s ‘Spotlight Team’
the oldest continuously running newspaper investigative group in the United States.
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d’Arcy James, as reporters
Michael Rezendes, Walter “Robby” Robinson, Sacha Pfeiffer, and Matt Carroll, the movie
begins just after the Globe’s new editor Marty Baron’s (Liev Schreiber) arrival in Boston. At a
time when more and more people are going to the Internet to get their news the Globe is like
many other large newspapers around the country facing declining revenue and possible job
losses. What appears to be an isolated case involving one priest soon evolves into something
much bigger than one church or one diocese and the Spotlight Team sets out to uncover a
conspiracy within the church hide an epidemic of abuse which has been covered up for
decades.
To say that this scandal is horrifying to think about is an understatement. Knowing it was
covered up for so many years is even worse. I remember when I first started seeing the news
stories about it how sick it made me feel. In a day and age where the news is now more about
ratings and how many news organizations have become compromised and biased beyond
belief, the truth no matter how bad it might be is a rare thing. This film is basically a dramatic,
well written, and well acted account of the reporter’s investigation into the scandal … the
complete and true story and its scope … and bring it to the public’s attention. So that the people
would know what happened and also perhaps, help bring some sort of closure to the victims.
The film helps to put the whole scandal and its scope in perspective.
With an excellent supporting cast including Gene Amoroso, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber,
Jamey Sheridan, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup, Maureen Keiller, Paul Guilfoyle, Len Cariou,
Neal Huff, and Michael Cyril Creighton, ‘Spotlight’ is a film certainly worthy of mention. It shows
that sometimes even in this world of ‘instant news’ that sometimes, the most important stories
are brought to light they way they were brought to our attention before the Internet, before
computers, before satellites. By honest reporters who wanted the public to know the truth.
I’m giving this film 4 out of 5 stars. As I mentioned earlier, it puts the whole scandal in
perspective and allows you to see it theoretically from the perspective of the reporters and the
situations it sometimes places them in in their public and personal lives.
On behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ i’d like to say Thanks For Reading’ and we’ll
see you at the movies
Review By Lauren Dove
The movie all together was slower than I thought it might be. Coming from a person that enjoys conspiracy theories, I enjoyed the movie. However, someone who is not interested in the plot line I don’t think would enjoy it.
I think the movie could have added a little more drama, in order to draw in more people. I would watch this movie when comes out on dvd, probably would not pay money to see in a movie theater. I think the facts themselves were shocking to a lot people although it wasn’t surprising for me. A large powerful group such as the church I would expect some corruption.
I feel like the plot line built up and was expecting this grand finally that never came. I was expecting this to go a lot farther than it did. It really didn’t tell us what happened to the people themselves who were found guilty. Or what was done or not done to change after all the victims came forward with all these accusations of being sexually abused by priest in the Catholic Church. I would give this movie 3 out of 5 stars.
We’ve definitely got a serious drama film for you this time around. Not for the faint of heart but
one that discusses a serious controversy that shook the foundations of the Catholic community
not only in the city of Boston but also America and the rest of the world.
Directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent, The Visitor, Up, Win Win, Million Dollar Arm,
and The Cobbler) and co-written by McCarthy and Josh Singer (The West Wing, Law &
Order:SVU) ‘Spotlight’ follows the Boston Globe’s investigation and coverage of the
Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal which was brought to the public’s attention in early
2002 after nearly a year of investigation and research by the Boston Globe’s ‘Spotlight Team’
the oldest continuously running newspaper investigative group in the United States.
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d’Arcy James, as reporters
Michael Rezendes, Walter “Robby” Robinson, Sacha Pfeiffer, and Matt Carroll, the movie
begins just after the Globe’s new editor Marty Baron’s (Liev Schreiber) arrival in Boston. At a
time when more and more people are going to the Internet to get their news the Globe is like
many other large newspapers around the country facing declining revenue and possible job
losses. What appears to be an isolated case involving one priest soon evolves into something
much bigger than one church or one diocese and the Spotlight Team sets out to uncover a
conspiracy within the church hide an epidemic of abuse which has been covered up for
decades.
To say that this scandal is horrifying to think about is an understatement. Knowing it was
covered up for so many years is even worse. I remember when I first started seeing the news
stories about it how sick it made me feel. In a day and age where the news is now more about
ratings and how many news organizations have become compromised and biased beyond
belief, the truth no matter how bad it might be is a rare thing. This film is basically a dramatic,
well written, and well acted account of the reporter’s investigation into the scandal … the
complete and true story and its scope … and bring it to the public’s attention. So that the people
would know what happened and also perhaps, help bring some sort of closure to the victims.
The film helps to put the whole scandal and its scope in perspective.
With an excellent supporting cast including Gene Amoroso, John Slattery, Liev Schreiber,
Jamey Sheridan, Stanley Tucci, Billy Crudup, Maureen Keiller, Paul Guilfoyle, Len Cariou,
Neal Huff, and Michael Cyril Creighton, ‘Spotlight’ is a film certainly worthy of mention. It shows
that sometimes even in this world of ‘instant news’ that sometimes, the most important stories
are brought to light they way they were brought to our attention before the Internet, before
computers, before satellites. By honest reporters who wanted the public to know the truth.
I’m giving this film 4 out of 5 stars. As I mentioned earlier, it puts the whole scandal in
perspective and allows you to see it theoretically from the perspective of the reporters and the
situations it sometimes places them in in their public and personal lives.
On behalf of my fellows at ‘Skewed & Reviewed’ i’d like to say Thanks For Reading’ and we’ll
see you at the movies
Review By Lauren Dove
The movie all together was slower than I thought it might be. Coming from a person that enjoys conspiracy theories, I enjoyed the movie. However, someone who is not interested in the plot line I don’t think would enjoy it.
I think the movie could have added a little more drama, in order to draw in more people. I would watch this movie when comes out on dvd, probably would not pay money to see in a movie theater. I think the facts themselves were shocking to a lot people although it wasn’t surprising for me. A large powerful group such as the church I would expect some corruption.
I feel like the plot line built up and was expecting this grand finally that never came. I was expecting this to go a lot farther than it did. It really didn’t tell us what happened to the people themselves who were found guilty. Or what was done or not done to change after all the victims came forward with all these accusations of being sexually abused by priest in the Catholic Church. I would give this movie 3 out of 5 stars.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>Mrs B</i> is a contemporary novel by lecturer and writer Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw. Whilst loosely based on Gustave Flaubert’s <i>Madame Bovary</i>, it is set in Trinidad and contains a number of themes. Beginning in June 2009 it spans the course of a year before finishing in July 2010.
The titular character <i>Mrs B</i> is a middle-aged woman named Mrs Elena Butcher who, due to dislike of her husband’s surname, is always referred to as Mrs B. At the beginning of the book Mrs B and her husband, Charles, are driving to the airport to collect their daughter, Ruthie, who has flown home from Boston University. It is revealed that Ruthie suffered a nervous breakdown a couple of months before hand, but what is yet to be discovered is that she is pregnant. Whilst in Boston, Ruthie had developed an intimate relationship with a man dubbed the Professor. Mrs B’s daughter was once her pride and joy but the result of Ruthie’s down fall begins to have a negative effect on Mrs B’s life and sours her relationships with those previously close to her, particularly her husband.
Pregnancy and romantic affairs are not the only themes of the novel. Trinidad is becoming a dangerous place with crimes, such as murders, becoming a daily occurrence. Politics plays its hand in these everyday occurrences, so it is not very reassuring when Mrs B’s ex-lover becomes involved with the government. However the events in Trinidad seem more normal than the emotions Mrs B feels within her own family.
The story line jumps around a lot from character to character and also from past to present. Whilst not exactly confusing it is difficult to understand what the actual plot line is. There was not much of climax and the reader does not really get a chance to connect with the characters and so the conclusion feels neither disappointing nor satisfactory.
For readers unfamiliar with the Caribbean and life in Trinidad this book is quite educational, providing descriptions of the culture and customs of the islands inhabitants. So despite the lack of a strong story line, Walcott-Hackshaw writes effectively to make this an interesting read.
<i>Mrs B</i> is a contemporary novel by lecturer and writer Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw. Whilst loosely based on Gustave Flaubert’s <i>Madame Bovary</i>, it is set in Trinidad and contains a number of themes. Beginning in June 2009 it spans the course of a year before finishing in July 2010.
The titular character <i>Mrs B</i> is a middle-aged woman named Mrs Elena Butcher who, due to dislike of her husband’s surname, is always referred to as Mrs B. At the beginning of the book Mrs B and her husband, Charles, are driving to the airport to collect their daughter, Ruthie, who has flown home from Boston University. It is revealed that Ruthie suffered a nervous breakdown a couple of months before hand, but what is yet to be discovered is that she is pregnant. Whilst in Boston, Ruthie had developed an intimate relationship with a man dubbed the Professor. Mrs B’s daughter was once her pride and joy but the result of Ruthie’s down fall begins to have a negative effect on Mrs B’s life and sours her relationships with those previously close to her, particularly her husband.
Pregnancy and romantic affairs are not the only themes of the novel. Trinidad is becoming a dangerous place with crimes, such as murders, becoming a daily occurrence. Politics plays its hand in these everyday occurrences, so it is not very reassuring when Mrs B’s ex-lover becomes involved with the government. However the events in Trinidad seem more normal than the emotions Mrs B feels within her own family.
The story line jumps around a lot from character to character and also from past to present. Whilst not exactly confusing it is difficult to understand what the actual plot line is. There was not much of climax and the reader does not really get a chance to connect with the characters and so the conclusion feels neither disappointing nor satisfactory.
For readers unfamiliar with the Caribbean and life in Trinidad this book is quite educational, providing descriptions of the culture and customs of the islands inhabitants. So despite the lack of a strong story line, Walcott-Hackshaw writes effectively to make this an interesting read.
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Spotlight (2015) in Movies
Jul 28, 2017
The story is amazing (2 more)
Heartfelt writing
The best ensemble cast in years
Wow. Just wow
Michael fucking Keaton!!!!
Holy shit!!!!
Although he will always be Beetlejuice to me, he keeps proving to me time and time again that he is one of the finest dramatic actors of our time. Id even go as far to say of anytime.
This movie follows the Boston Globe's Spotlight team in the early 2000's as they break a scandal involving the Catholic Church's involvement in a priest molestation case.
Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Leiv Shriver (spelling incorrect I know) also star, as well as a few other familiar faces.
This is not my typical movie, but when something stars Keaton, I check it out. And it didn't disappoint.
It's long, drawn out, and sometimes boring. But in this reviewers opinion, totally worth a watch.
The number 87 will forever stick out in my mind as something that reminds me of that wretched feeling you get in your stomach before you vomit.
Based on true events that transpired over an almost 55 year period, if not longer.
Holy shit!!!!
Although he will always be Beetlejuice to me, he keeps proving to me time and time again that he is one of the finest dramatic actors of our time. Id even go as far to say of anytime.
This movie follows the Boston Globe's Spotlight team in the early 2000's as they break a scandal involving the Catholic Church's involvement in a priest molestation case.
Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Leiv Shriver (spelling incorrect I know) also star, as well as a few other familiar faces.
This is not my typical movie, but when something stars Keaton, I check it out. And it didn't disappoint.
It's long, drawn out, and sometimes boring. But in this reviewers opinion, totally worth a watch.
The number 87 will forever stick out in my mind as something that reminds me of that wretched feeling you get in your stomach before you vomit.
Based on true events that transpired over an almost 55 year period, if not longer.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Stronger (2016) in Movies
Jan 29, 2019
Heartwarming
It's a little unfortunate that Stronger was released in the same year as the other Boston marathon film, Patriots Day. Whilst the films are as opposite as they can be (one set from the point of view of a cop during the event & the ensuing investigation, whilst this focuses on the life of an injured survivor), I fear that Stronger has been dwarfed by the other bigger film. Which is a shame as this is a very good film in its own right.
This is a character led film, and tells the poignant and harrowing tale of bombing survivor Jeff Bauman. Jake Gyllenhaal excels in this, like he always does when he's given a proper character based story. The rest of the cast too are great and the entire film is just very well done. It doesn't shy away from showing some of Jeff's personal struggles and really is a heartwarming story. Especially when you know there's a happy ending at the end of it. The photos and updates right at the end of the film showing the real Jeff are so uplifting.
This is a character led film, and tells the poignant and harrowing tale of bombing survivor Jeff Bauman. Jake Gyllenhaal excels in this, like he always does when he's given a proper character based story. The rest of the cast too are great and the entire film is just very well done. It doesn't shy away from showing some of Jeff's personal struggles and really is a heartwarming story. Especially when you know there's a happy ending at the end of it. The photos and updates right at the end of the film showing the real Jeff are so uplifting.
RS
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