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Midwinter Mysteries
Linda Stratmann, Cora Harrison, David Field, Graham Brack, Marilyn Todd, J. C. Briggs, Keith Moray, Seàn Gibbons, Gaynor Torrance and Kim Fleet
7.0
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Eleven authors. Eleven stories. One festive collection! Perfect for fans of crime fiction, short...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated A Creepshow Holiday Special (2020) in Movies
Dec 23, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Creepshow delivers the holiday themed goods once again with this Christmas special. Unlike the Halloween Special, this one is fully live action, and instead of being the regular two segments, it's one big 45 minute story.
The first half focuses on a dude attending a support group for people who are shape shifters, keen to find out exactly what he shapeshifts into. The group is filled with a few colourful characters who transform into all sort of things - tortoises, cheetahs, werewolves, boars. It's mostly dialogue but it's pretty fun. Adam Pally and Anna Camp head up the cast, and both seem to be aware just how silly the episode is and both ham up proceedings well enough. IMDb has listed Barbara Crampton, Marilyn Manson, Ali Larter and Keith David among others in the cast, but I'll be fucked if I spotted them anywhere!
The second half is when it gets festive when *SPOILERS* out of nowhere, it's revealed that Santa Claus hunts shapeshifters for a living and employs an army of shopping mall Santas to help him in his fight. Shit gets ridiculous as everyone transforms, Santa turns up in some crazy demon armour with actual robotic claws for hands, blood flies everywhere, scores of Santas are mown down by gunfire - it's so so dumb, but goddam entertaining.
There isn't really any underlying message here. Writer/Director Greg Nicotero just wanted to go all out and schlocky as possible, and I'd say he achieved his goal pretty effectively.
This holiday special is a boat load of fun, and another solid piece of evidence as to why Creepshow is an essential part of horror television. Ho Ho Fucking Ho!
The first half focuses on a dude attending a support group for people who are shape shifters, keen to find out exactly what he shapeshifts into. The group is filled with a few colourful characters who transform into all sort of things - tortoises, cheetahs, werewolves, boars. It's mostly dialogue but it's pretty fun. Adam Pally and Anna Camp head up the cast, and both seem to be aware just how silly the episode is and both ham up proceedings well enough. IMDb has listed Barbara Crampton, Marilyn Manson, Ali Larter and Keith David among others in the cast, but I'll be fucked if I spotted them anywhere!
The second half is when it gets festive when *SPOILERS* out of nowhere, it's revealed that Santa Claus hunts shapeshifters for a living and employs an army of shopping mall Santas to help him in his fight. Shit gets ridiculous as everyone transforms, Santa turns up in some crazy demon armour with actual robotic claws for hands, blood flies everywhere, scores of Santas are mown down by gunfire - it's so so dumb, but goddam entertaining.
There isn't really any underlying message here. Writer/Director Greg Nicotero just wanted to go all out and schlocky as possible, and I'd say he achieved his goal pretty effectively.
This holiday special is a boat load of fun, and another solid piece of evidence as to why Creepshow is an essential part of horror television. Ho Ho Fucking Ho!
HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Definitive Management Ideas of the Year from Harvard Business Review (with Bonus Mckinsey Award--Winning Article the Focused Leader) (HBR's 10 Must Reads): 2015
Harvard Business Review, Daniel Goleman, W.Chan Kim and Renee A. Mauborgne
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A year's worth of management wisdom, all in one place. We've combed through ideas, insights, and...
Odd-shaped Balls: Mischief-makers, Miscreants and Mad-hatters of Rugby
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Rugby is not a game for those who think that centres are what you find in a box of Black Magic or...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
I found Horror Noire, a documentary that focuses on the role and impact of black creators and actors within horror cinema, to be an incredibly insightful watch.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
It's covers a wide range of media, from 40s originals like I Walked with a Zombie, all the way up to present day entries like Us, and everything in between. My only criticism stems from this actually - with so many movies to cover, the pacing moves quite quickly, and results in a fairly short feature - I could have happily watched a few more hours!
The documentary features interviews with some genre icons such as Tony Todd, Keith David, Ernest R. Dickerson, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tananarive Due, just to name a few!
Listening to them talk about this subject which such fondness is wholesome, but not always comfortable - whereas Horror Noire is of course a celebration of black horror, none of the cast shy away from talking about the difficulties faced by the black community in film, including how they are portrayed, especially in earlier decades.
In 2020, these issues ring truer than ever.
As a white male, the biggest thing I've learned through recent events is that it's not enough to be not racist, - it's important and essential to be actively anti-racist. As a fan of horror for a lot of my life, I, perhaps ignorantly, haven't really attributed these issues to the genre before, so it's refreshing for me to learn about these kind of things and take them on board.
Horror Noire is a truly interesting watch, and has given me some films to add to my watchlist (Ganja & Hess is one I'll be checking out pretty soon). It's eye opening, and certainly deserves attention.
3/11 TSUNAMI PHOTO PROJECT
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Photographers from around the globe converged on remote areas devastated by the Japan...
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Delay and Disruption in Construction Contracts: First Supplement
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Delay and disruption in the course of construction impacts upon building projects of any scale. Now...
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Free Birds (2013) in Movies
Nov 26, 2020
A Fun Thanksgiving Flick
When asked to list films worth watching that have a Thanksgiving theme, the BankofMarquis likes to pull out a little animated gem that came and went pretty quickly in 2013 - FREE BIRDS - starring the voices of Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson as 2 turkeys that go back in time in an egg-shaped time machine named STEVE (voiced by George Takei - more on that later) to stop the first Thanksgiving. This film succeeds more than it doesn't.
The first full length animated feature film from REEL FX (one of only 2 they have put out thus far) FREE BIRDS suffers from that kiss of death - multiple writers revising the script over time. Directed by JImmy Hayward (HORTON HEARS A WHO), who is also credited with writing this film alongside long time Kevin Smith collaborator Scott Mosier,FREE BIRDS is actually a pretty fun film, despite the disjointedness of the plot.
Credit should go to the stellar voice cast, led by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. They have tremendous chemistry together and are a fun pair to watch. Joining them is the always dependable Amy Poehler (who would shine as the voice of Joy years later in Pixar's INSIDE OUT). It was fun spending an hour and a half with these 3 - and the others in this cast: Colm Meaney, David Keith and Dan Fogler.
But, for me, the star of this film is Star Trek's George Takei as the voice of S.T.E.V.E (the egg-shaped time machine device). He understands what type of film he is in and delivers just the right blend of comedy and seriousness that helps elevate the proceedings. And that is good for, as I stated above, the plot is a bit disjointed, so I would recommend you just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
The critics panned this film, but it made over $110 million at the box office (more than doubling it's production cost), so many, many moviegoers had the same, fun experience that I did.
And...you will, too...if you give FREE BIRDS a try.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
The first full length animated feature film from REEL FX (one of only 2 they have put out thus far) FREE BIRDS suffers from that kiss of death - multiple writers revising the script over time. Directed by JImmy Hayward (HORTON HEARS A WHO), who is also credited with writing this film alongside long time Kevin Smith collaborator Scott Mosier,FREE BIRDS is actually a pretty fun film, despite the disjointedness of the plot.
Credit should go to the stellar voice cast, led by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. They have tremendous chemistry together and are a fun pair to watch. Joining them is the always dependable Amy Poehler (who would shine as the voice of Joy years later in Pixar's INSIDE OUT). It was fun spending an hour and a half with these 3 - and the others in this cast: Colm Meaney, David Keith and Dan Fogler.
But, for me, the star of this film is Star Trek's George Takei as the voice of S.T.E.V.E (the egg-shaped time machine device). He understands what type of film he is in and delivers just the right blend of comedy and seriousness that helps elevate the proceedings. And that is good for, as I stated above, the plot is a bit disjointed, so I would recommend you just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
The critics panned this film, but it made over $110 million at the box office (more than doubling it's production cost), so many, many moviegoers had the same, fun experience that I did.
And...you will, too...if you give FREE BIRDS a try.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Nope (2022) in Movies
Jul 26, 2022
Original...Tense...and Entertaining
Producer/Writer/Director Jordan Peele has managed to accomplish something with his latest horror film - he has managed to make a completely original film both in concept and in execution.
To tell too much about the story of NOPE would be to spoil it - and letting this unique film unfold in front of you is a large part of the journey - but, to sum up…Hollywood Horse Wrangler, Otis Haywood Sr. (the great Keith David, THE THING), his son, Otis Haywood, Jr. - or as he is called in this film OJ (the incomparable Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya) and his daughter, Emerald (Keke Palmer of Disney Channel fame, amongst others) encounter some strange phenomena. Their investigation will draw in their neighbor, former child star Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun, THE WALKING DEAD), a tech from the local IT Hardware store, Angel Torres (Brandon Perea, THE OA) and a wildlife cinematographer, Antlers Holst, who specializes in getting the “impossible” shot (Michael Wincott, THE CROW).
It’s a wildly entertaining, grip-your-armchair type of film that unfolds on the screen in clever ways (without getting “too” weird) - all with the pragmatic sensibilities of Peele, the former member of the comedy duo KEYE & PEELE. Jordan has grown into a filmmaker that must not be missed and in NOPE he showcases his skill with strong effect, being in complete control of the artistic point of view while delivering a highly entertaining thriller.
Of course, it helps that you have a performer as interesting to watch as Kaluuya - one of the finest performers in film today. He plays the taciturn OJ with complete “taciturn-ness” (if that is a word) and, in his skilled body, this performance works very, very well. He says more with a glance or a shrug than most people can say with a 1,000 words and he draws you into the screen and into his thoughts with tremendous intimacy.
Keke Palmer, by contrast, is the exact opposite. Her Emerald is flamboyant, chatty, up-beat and beset by inner demons made manifest by drugs, alcohol and smoke. It is a movie-saving performance by Palmer as she brings the heart and the energy to the proceedings while Kaluuya is the quiet brains and the soul.
Perea, Yeun, David and (especially) Wincott all add to the tapestry of the events and bring something interesting and worth looking at (and into) during the course of this film.
Peele ratchets the tension throughout this film like an expert and the Special Effects are used in exactly the right way that they needed to be used and showcased throughout the film - filling you with awe when that is called for and having you think to yourself “you’ve got to be kidding me” when that is exactly what the characters are thinking.
A masterful, original concept of a film by Peele - one that is not for everyone - but those that are into this type of thing are going to be in for a unique and original film filled with unique characters and more than one jump along the way.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
To tell too much about the story of NOPE would be to spoil it - and letting this unique film unfold in front of you is a large part of the journey - but, to sum up…Hollywood Horse Wrangler, Otis Haywood Sr. (the great Keith David, THE THING), his son, Otis Haywood, Jr. - or as he is called in this film OJ (the incomparable Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya) and his daughter, Emerald (Keke Palmer of Disney Channel fame, amongst others) encounter some strange phenomena. Their investigation will draw in their neighbor, former child star Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun, THE WALKING DEAD), a tech from the local IT Hardware store, Angel Torres (Brandon Perea, THE OA) and a wildlife cinematographer, Antlers Holst, who specializes in getting the “impossible” shot (Michael Wincott, THE CROW).
It’s a wildly entertaining, grip-your-armchair type of film that unfolds on the screen in clever ways (without getting “too” weird) - all with the pragmatic sensibilities of Peele, the former member of the comedy duo KEYE & PEELE. Jordan has grown into a filmmaker that must not be missed and in NOPE he showcases his skill with strong effect, being in complete control of the artistic point of view while delivering a highly entertaining thriller.
Of course, it helps that you have a performer as interesting to watch as Kaluuya - one of the finest performers in film today. He plays the taciturn OJ with complete “taciturn-ness” (if that is a word) and, in his skilled body, this performance works very, very well. He says more with a glance or a shrug than most people can say with a 1,000 words and he draws you into the screen and into his thoughts with tremendous intimacy.
Keke Palmer, by contrast, is the exact opposite. Her Emerald is flamboyant, chatty, up-beat and beset by inner demons made manifest by drugs, alcohol and smoke. It is a movie-saving performance by Palmer as she brings the heart and the energy to the proceedings while Kaluuya is the quiet brains and the soul.
Perea, Yeun, David and (especially) Wincott all add to the tapestry of the events and bring something interesting and worth looking at (and into) during the course of this film.
Peele ratchets the tension throughout this film like an expert and the Special Effects are used in exactly the right way that they needed to be used and showcased throughout the film - filling you with awe when that is called for and having you think to yourself “you’ve got to be kidding me” when that is exactly what the characters are thinking.
A masterful, original concept of a film by Peele - one that is not for everyone - but those that are into this type of thing are going to be in for a unique and original film filled with unique characters and more than one jump along the way.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Travel Writing: Expert Advice from the World's Leading Travel Publisher
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Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher* Written by a pre-eminent travel writer...