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Darren (1599 KP) rated Barton Fink (1991) in Movies
Dec 14, 2019
Verdict: Coen’s at Their Best
Story: Barton Fink starts as New York playwright Barton Fink (Turturro) whose latest play has seen him get the most praise. Barton gets encouraged to head to California to write movies, which would cover him for years to come on the stages of New York. Barton put up in a small hotel, gets given his first assignment, a wrestling picture, something he knows nothing about.
Barton bonds with his insurance salesman neighbour Charlie Meadows (Goodman) who always seems to have inspiration for this story, while meeting authors he idolises, waiting for his big break in the industry, meeting different producers who shows him the hellish process Hollywood can be.
Thoughts on Barton Fink
Characters – Barton Fink is the latest praised playwright in New York, he knows he can be a success on the stage only he gets encouraged to head to the Hollywood boom to make serious money with his writing skills. Barton learns quickly that he isn’t prepared for the demands of writing script especially when he doesn’t know the material they want him to write about, he struggles to settle in the area and the cheap hotel they put him up in, he only makes one friend and sees how the people in the industry always say what you want to say. Charlie Meadows is the hotel neighbour and insurance salesman that befriends Barton, the two often spend the nights talking about life’s events, while Charlie pushes Barton to become more confident. Audrey Taylor is the wife of one of the most famous authors Barton meets, he wants to use her as his muse after seeing how badly she is abused by her partner. Jack Lipnick is the producer that hires Barton, he demands the work and unlike most writers that he hires, he keeps up on Barton’s work.
Performances – John Turturro in the leading role is excellent, we can see him unravelling at the seams as he starts to lose his mind in the writing process. John Goodman is wonderful too as the friendly neighbour with a secret behind his kind-nature. When it comes to the rest of the cast we get some wonderful performance that send us into the era perfectly.
Story – The story here sees a playwright trying his hand at writing movies in the booming industry, only to learn the level of control he really has on what he write and how much time he has to get the work done. This is a story about the movie making process, while we focus more on the writing side of the filmmaking, it is focused on how being locked away in a new city can drive somebody slightly crazy. It is the story arcs that happen around the writing which become most interesting as we see just how things are never quite as they seem, this is Coen Brothers are their best, spinning what could be a routine story that sees things turned on their head.
Comedy – The comedy is the black comedy type, where we see just how twisted the comedy ends up being, with John Goodman getting most of the laughs in the film.
Settings – The LA setting shows what it would have been like in the early stages of the Hollywood boom, the era feels nature through the film.
Scene of the Movie – Flaming hallways.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The cops are too accusation heavy.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark comedy that works very well, it hits the heights every time it needs to thanks to the leading performances from Turturro and Goodman that are outstanding through the film.
Overall: Brilliant Comedy.
Story: Barton Fink starts as New York playwright Barton Fink (Turturro) whose latest play has seen him get the most praise. Barton gets encouraged to head to California to write movies, which would cover him for years to come on the stages of New York. Barton put up in a small hotel, gets given his first assignment, a wrestling picture, something he knows nothing about.
Barton bonds with his insurance salesman neighbour Charlie Meadows (Goodman) who always seems to have inspiration for this story, while meeting authors he idolises, waiting for his big break in the industry, meeting different producers who shows him the hellish process Hollywood can be.
Thoughts on Barton Fink
Characters – Barton Fink is the latest praised playwright in New York, he knows he can be a success on the stage only he gets encouraged to head to the Hollywood boom to make serious money with his writing skills. Barton learns quickly that he isn’t prepared for the demands of writing script especially when he doesn’t know the material they want him to write about, he struggles to settle in the area and the cheap hotel they put him up in, he only makes one friend and sees how the people in the industry always say what you want to say. Charlie Meadows is the hotel neighbour and insurance salesman that befriends Barton, the two often spend the nights talking about life’s events, while Charlie pushes Barton to become more confident. Audrey Taylor is the wife of one of the most famous authors Barton meets, he wants to use her as his muse after seeing how badly she is abused by her partner. Jack Lipnick is the producer that hires Barton, he demands the work and unlike most writers that he hires, he keeps up on Barton’s work.
Performances – John Turturro in the leading role is excellent, we can see him unravelling at the seams as he starts to lose his mind in the writing process. John Goodman is wonderful too as the friendly neighbour with a secret behind his kind-nature. When it comes to the rest of the cast we get some wonderful performance that send us into the era perfectly.
Story – The story here sees a playwright trying his hand at writing movies in the booming industry, only to learn the level of control he really has on what he write and how much time he has to get the work done. This is a story about the movie making process, while we focus more on the writing side of the filmmaking, it is focused on how being locked away in a new city can drive somebody slightly crazy. It is the story arcs that happen around the writing which become most interesting as we see just how things are never quite as they seem, this is Coen Brothers are their best, spinning what could be a routine story that sees things turned on their head.
Comedy – The comedy is the black comedy type, where we see just how twisted the comedy ends up being, with John Goodman getting most of the laughs in the film.
Settings – The LA setting shows what it would have been like in the early stages of the Hollywood boom, the era feels nature through the film.
Scene of the Movie – Flaming hallways.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The cops are too accusation heavy.
Final Thoughts – This is a dark comedy that works very well, it hits the heights every time it needs to thanks to the leading performances from Turturro and Goodman that are outstanding through the film.
Overall: Brilliant Comedy.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saints for All Occasions in Books
Mar 6, 2019
Beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more
Nora and Theresa Flynn are only twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their native Ireland and immigrate to the U.S. For her entire life, Nora has been the quintessential older sister, raising Theresa and their younger brother after the death of their mother. Now she's headed to Boston to be married to their former Irish neighbor, Charlie, whom Nora doesn't really even love. Theresa, meanwhile, is outgoing, beautiful, and intelligent. She loves the dances and social atmosphere in Boston, but that all changes when she winds up pregnant. Both Nora and Theresa are forced to make some drastic life decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Fifty years later, in 2009, Nora and Charlie have four children: John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. But Theresa and Nora are no longer speaking, and Theresa lives as a cloistered nun in an abbey in Vermont. What happened between the two sisters? And how will a sudden tragedy affect their current, separate lives?
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Saints for All Occasions in Books
Jan 30, 2018
Well-written (1 more)
Striking characters
Gorgeous family saga
Nora and Theresa Flynn are only twenty-one and seventeen when they leave their native Ireland and immigrate to the U.S. For her entire life, Nora has been the quintessential older sister, raising Theresa and their younger brother after the death of their mother. Now she's headed to Boston to be married to their former Irish neighbor, Charlie, whom Nora doesn't really even love. Theresa, meanwhile, is outgoing, beautiful, and intelligent. She loves the dances and social atmosphere in Boston, but that all changes when she winds up pregnant. Both Nora and Theresa are forced to make some drastic life decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Fifty years later, in 2009, Nora and Charlie have four children: John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. But Theresa and Nora are no longer speaking, and Theresa lives as a cloistered nun in an abbey in Vermont. What happened between the two sisters? And how will a sudden tragedy affect their current, separate lives?
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know.
This was an amazing book - just beautiful, heartbreaking, and lovely. Sullivan captured the essence of each of her characters so perfectly. I could picture every one, and each was so realistic, with their own background, mannerisms, and details.
The novel switches between the past, starting with Nora and Theresa's journey to Boston, and 2009, with a shocking event that rocks the entire family. We hear from each character--Nora, Theresa, John, Bridget, Brian, and Patrick. As I said, they are each an individual and embellished with Sullivan's wonderful writing and details. For instance, I loved the tidbit that Nora and her daughter-in-law communicated for years mainly through Nora's daughter's dog at family gatherings. It said so much with just one story. (And I've so been there.)
I became attached to each character in their own way thanks to the strong writing and characterization. I don't always enjoy books with shifts between time periods, but all flowed seamlessly here. There's an underlying thread that ties everything together, just adding to the brilliance of the novel. While it's really a story of a family, there's still a bit of suspense, as you try to fit some pieces together. Everything works so well.
Overall, I just loved this beautiful story of parenthood, immigration, siblings, religion, and so much more. It's achingly well-written, and while it ended just right, I was still sad to see the characters go. I'll certainly be recommending it to everyone I know.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Turning to Stone (Roma Series Book 4) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
Bianca Nerini is with her trusted friends. We meet up with the group and find out that they are all working together. This is a bit different in terms that there's not much action for them all. Bianca Nerini gets in contact with Loki, and it may be that there are two Lokis?
We meet an Intern that join their team. He seems to know Charlie Brooks and then Matteo is known by this TB. Who is TB? How has Farese involved once again? He seems to show up once again. Gabriel Valjan does it again. Who is really the enemy, and who are those you can trust? In this installment it about the mafia. Who might be the spiders?
Can the Gdf team figure out what Farese and the mafia are doing? What is it that Farese wants in Naples? Who is this Madrina? We do know that Farrugia is undercover and his friend is as well this Claudio. What do these clans Marra, and Totaro want to do with the Euro and does the Silicons do with the US Bonds. Will the Gdf group be able to make the connections? Why has the Commissioner assassinated? We also have agents McGrittery and Murphy that helps the teams as well.
We meet an Intern that join their team. He seems to know Charlie Brooks and then Matteo is known by this TB. Who is TB? How has Farese involved once again? He seems to show up once again. Gabriel Valjan does it again. Who is really the enemy, and who are those you can trust? In this installment it about the mafia. Who might be the spiders?
Can the Gdf team figure out what Farese and the mafia are doing? What is it that Farese wants in Naples? Who is this Madrina? We do know that Farrugia is undercover and his friend is as well this Claudio. What do these clans Marra, and Totaro want to do with the Euro and does the Silicons do with the US Bonds. Will the Gdf group be able to make the connections? Why has the Commissioner assassinated? We also have agents McGrittery and Murphy that helps the teams as well.
Kristin (149 KP) rated The Day The Tigers Broke Free in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Charlie is a journalist; he makes it his goal in life to dig up all the dirt, to get whatever information he can in any way possible. However, this time, the story's personal: His nephew is dead, supposedly by his own hand. Charlie's not buying that for one bit, though. His new goal? Bring justice for his family and drag as many people down as possible.
I found this story incredibly interesting from the start. The opening just pulls you in, and from that point, you're totally invested in what's happened to this young man. Was it suicide? Was it murder? The town says it's the former, but Charlie's on a vendetta, and he's not going to let it go. Quite a few of the characters he meets along the way are hideous, and their portrayal is perfect. Growing up in a small town, I know what it's like when an "outsider" comes in, questioning how you do things, stirring up trouble. This story is en embodiment of small-town life: the closed ranks, the suspicion of someone different, the racism and prejudice, etc. What's the final verdict on David's death? You'll have to read that for yourself.
4 stars
Charlie is a journalist; he makes it his goal in life to dig up all the dirt, to get whatever information he can in any way possible. However, this time, the story's personal: His nephew is dead, supposedly by his own hand. Charlie's not buying that for one bit, though. His new goal? Bring justice for his family and drag as many people down as possible.
I found this story incredibly interesting from the start. The opening just pulls you in, and from that point, you're totally invested in what's happened to this young man. Was it suicide? Was it murder? The town says it's the former, but Charlie's on a vendetta, and he's not going to let it go. Quite a few of the characters he meets along the way are hideous, and their portrayal is perfect. Growing up in a small town, I know what it's like when an "outsider" comes in, questioning how you do things, stirring up trouble. This story is en embodiment of small-town life: the closed ranks, the suspicion of someone different, the racism and prejudice, etc. What's the final verdict on David's death? You'll have to read that for yourself.
4 stars
Awix (3310 KP) rated King of Thieves (2018) in Movies
Oct 10, 2018
Michael Caine leads a crack team of crock crooks in robbing a safe deposit vault in London in this loosely-based-on-reality black comedy thriller. Quite apart from Caine, the film has an excellent cast (Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay, Ray Winstone, Paul Whitehouse, and Michael Gambon, plus Charlie Cox for the streaming generation), which will probably be what draws most people to it.
Initially this looks like it's going to be a slightly cosy comedy thriller about blokes who are too old be robbers any more, but - very pleasantly - it quite soon acquires some real heft and gravity to it, with the various members of the gang falling out and attempting to double-cross each other - most of these actors are well-known as comedians, but there is some proper meaty drama here and scenes with a definite tension to them.
Not quite as much Caine as you might hope for, but he is still the guv'nor as far as British film acting is concerned, and this is his best role for a while. Everyone else is good too. The film never quite gets the shifts between comedy and gangster thriller right, and the low budget keeps it from being very cinematic, but it's an engaging movie driven by great performances.
Initially this looks like it's going to be a slightly cosy comedy thriller about blokes who are too old be robbers any more, but - very pleasantly - it quite soon acquires some real heft and gravity to it, with the various members of the gang falling out and attempting to double-cross each other - most of these actors are well-known as comedians, but there is some proper meaty drama here and scenes with a definite tension to them.
Not quite as much Caine as you might hope for, but he is still the guv'nor as far as British film acting is concerned, and this is his best role for a while. Everyone else is good too. The film never quite gets the shifts between comedy and gangster thriller right, and the low budget keeps it from being very cinematic, but it's an engaging movie driven by great performances.
AJaneClark (3975 KP) rated The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Books
Oct 28, 2020
Dysfunctional and heart-warming
Read this before I made the decision to watch the movie, and I certainly enjoyed the book more (although the movie was not a bad one). The more I read the book, the more I was hooked, (possibly because it was quite a heavy read, and I wanted to finish it, again not because I dislike it). Many of the characters are likeable, and the material was well written.
A coming of age story of a young man beginning high school with the emotional and mental baggage of his traumatic childhood. Charlie was an unusual main lead, appearing quite odd at times and very emotional. He made friends with Sam and Patrick, and the relationship was heart warming if not a little dysfunctional.
My rating of the book, did not quite give it the max rating, as I felt after I had finished reading, I was left a little confused, and with a number of unanswered questions. At times throughout the novel, I kept thinking the next chapter will be the big reveal, but that chapter never came.
I can see why it has the following it has, went mainstream and has remained popular, but not a book I aim to reread anytime soon.
A coming of age story of a young man beginning high school with the emotional and mental baggage of his traumatic childhood. Charlie was an unusual main lead, appearing quite odd at times and very emotional. He made friends with Sam and Patrick, and the relationship was heart warming if not a little dysfunctional.
My rating of the book, did not quite give it the max rating, as I felt after I had finished reading, I was left a little confused, and with a number of unanswered questions. At times throughout the novel, I kept thinking the next chapter will be the big reveal, but that chapter never came.
I can see why it has the following it has, went mainstream and has remained popular, but not a book I aim to reread anytime soon.
Dracoria Malfoy (690 KP) rated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Books
Dec 18, 2017 (Updated Dec 18, 2017)
Sweet
Okay, I mean, it's been a while since I've read this, but here's what I have to say:
Roald Dahl? Spectacular!! He's one of my favorite authors, and it's amazing how he writes. And this book is one of his classics, so of course, it's amazing.
Now, I found some problems, the most important one being;
IS IT EVEN LEGAL TO SEND A CHILD TO A HELLHOLE MADE OF HEAVEN AND THEN BLOW SAID CHILDREN UP, SEND THEM IN FLYING ELEVATORS THAT ARE A SERIOUS RISK TO THEIR LIVES, SEND THEM DOWN TRASH CHUTES, AND PUT THEM THROUGH A TORTURE MACHINE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THEY USED IN OLD TIMES? HOW THE HELL DID THIS GUY NOT GET ARRESTED? NO WONDER HE HID FOR SO LONG.
Okay, rant over. But still! How!!??
But on with the good parts: It's still amazing, and highly creative. You can tell Willy Wonka wanted to impress the kids, show them how awesome his factory was, and you can't blame him for getting rid of all the brats that came to his house. And OH MY GOODNESS CHARLIE MY SMOL BEAN YOU'RE SO AMAZING AND PURE AND INNOCENT SO NICE!!
But my favorite part is when his grandpa went 'fuk it I'm going with this kid no matter what you say'
Also the chocolate. You can't forget the chocolate.
Roald Dahl? Spectacular!! He's one of my favorite authors, and it's amazing how he writes. And this book is one of his classics, so of course, it's amazing.
Now, I found some problems, the most important one being;
IS IT EVEN LEGAL TO SEND A CHILD TO A HELLHOLE MADE OF HEAVEN AND THEN BLOW SAID CHILDREN UP, SEND THEM IN FLYING ELEVATORS THAT ARE A SERIOUS RISK TO THEIR LIVES, SEND THEM DOWN TRASH CHUTES, AND PUT THEM THROUGH A TORTURE MACHINE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THEY USED IN OLD TIMES? HOW THE HELL DID THIS GUY NOT GET ARRESTED? NO WONDER HE HID FOR SO LONG.
Okay, rant over. But still! How!!??
But on with the good parts: It's still amazing, and highly creative. You can tell Willy Wonka wanted to impress the kids, show them how awesome his factory was, and you can't blame him for getting rid of all the brats that came to his house. And OH MY GOODNESS CHARLIE MY SMOL BEAN YOU'RE SO AMAZING AND PURE AND INNOCENT SO NICE!!
But my favorite part is when his grandpa went 'fuk it I'm going with this kid no matter what you say'
Also the chocolate. You can't forget the chocolate.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS #7) in Books
Jun 27, 2017
Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS #7) by Charlie Cochet
O.M.G.!!! If you are going to read Smoke and Mirrors, and you've followed the series so far, then be prepared for an emotional ride. Seriously, I think I have shed more tears during this part of the story than for any other instalment! The feels, people, the feels! Sloane and Dex have had a tumultuous relationship but things seem to have calmed down. Unfortunately, you know that with all the secrets that are coming out, that things will definitely rock the boat.
This book is simply amazing, with classic Dexisms throughout (I loved his conversation with Hudson!), but at the same time, absolutely heartbreaking. This book holds the answers to some questions that Dex hadn't even allowed himself to ask. Time moves on, but hurt can remain. So many things I want to talk about, but I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone else, so instead, I will just say that this book is simply outstanding, and I loved every moment - even if my eyes are now red-rimmed!
Exceedingly well written once again, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Definitely recommended by me, as well a box of tissues! If you're anything like me, you're going to need them!
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2017 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This book is simply amazing, with classic Dexisms throughout (I loved his conversation with Hudson!), but at the same time, absolutely heartbreaking. This book holds the answers to some questions that Dex hadn't even allowed himself to ask. Time moves on, but hurt can remain. So many things I want to talk about, but I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone else, so instead, I will just say that this book is simply outstanding, and I loved every moment - even if my eyes are now red-rimmed!
Exceedingly well written once again, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. Definitely recommended by me, as well a box of tissues! If you're anything like me, you're going to need them!
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2017 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) in Movies
Jan 4, 2019
Not as good as the first
I need to admit straight off that I was never a huge fan of the first Pacific Rim film. It was good, but never lived up to my admittedly high expectations. And I'm sad to say this sequel isn't even as good as the first.
What really let's this film down was the plot. It was ridiculously weak and silly, even for a film about giant machines and monsters. It was uninteresting and definitely made for a younger audience. Which was only too evident from the cast of mostly irritating teenagers. There also seemed to be a lot of minor characters thrown in for no real purpose whatsoever. The effects were good though and the fighting scenes were at least predictably impressive. These, along with a brilliant turn from John Boyega (who's sure to go even further than he has already), at least made this film bearable for its overly long run time. It's shame the rest of the cast were forgettable, although Charlie Dag wasn't half as irritating as he was in the original.
I'm afraid to say you can really tell that Guillermo Del Toro hasn't hand much of a hand in this. It's definitely missing some darkness,some seriousness and a little bit of heart. But like Transformers and other similar films, if you don't expect much then it's at least watchable.
What really let's this film down was the plot. It was ridiculously weak and silly, even for a film about giant machines and monsters. It was uninteresting and definitely made for a younger audience. Which was only too evident from the cast of mostly irritating teenagers. There also seemed to be a lot of minor characters thrown in for no real purpose whatsoever. The effects were good though and the fighting scenes were at least predictably impressive. These, along with a brilliant turn from John Boyega (who's sure to go even further than he has already), at least made this film bearable for its overly long run time. It's shame the rest of the cast were forgettable, although Charlie Dag wasn't half as irritating as he was in the original.
I'm afraid to say you can really tell that Guillermo Del Toro hasn't hand much of a hand in this. It's definitely missing some darkness,some seriousness and a little bit of heart. But like Transformers and other similar films, if you don't expect much then it's at least watchable.